


upon the stars (through the years)

by neocitys



Series: stars and magic [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 18:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14721684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neocitys/pseuds/neocitys
Summary: “So you’re telling me, that in the first fucking Quidditch match you showed up to, you basically distracted Mark Lee so he lost his focus and got hit by a Bludger? And now he’s passed out and in the Hospital Wing.”“Did you hear a word I say, Jaemin? It was a rogue Bludger and he turned around when I accidentally called him useless so he ended up getting hit by it. It’s not really my fault.”“It literally is though.”Or: Donghyuck and Mark fall in love during their time at Hogwarts.





	upon the stars (through the years)

**Author's Note:**

> some things to take note of!
> 
> 1) so i've tried to add as many details relating to HP as i can but obviously there will be some major changes to suit the flow of the storyline one of it being that they start at 13 instead of 11 years old
> 
> 2) the way lucas is addressed will differ in donghyuck's and mark's povs you'll see why when reading i hope its not too confusing!!
> 
> this is not beta read and im too tired to check again so sorry in advance for any mistakes!

When Donghyuck is five and has a fairy tale read to him, he wishes upon a star to be able to experience such magic too, with talking animals, enchanted objects and happily ever afters.

 

—

 

When Donghyuck is seven, he finds out that magic is real. Not quite what he expected, but exciting all the same.

 

—

 

When Donghyuck is thirteen, he receives his first letter from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

 

—

 

Donghyuck waves at his parents for the last time, before taking in a deep breath and pushing his trolley as he runs straight towards the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten in front of him. And passes right through it to enter Platform 9¾, which was mulling with students in their Hogwarts robes and their parents, with a bright red steam engine, the Hogwarts Express, on the tracks behind, waiting to be boarded.

 

He turns around with his eyes wide with amazement as Johnny entered the platform from behind him. “Oh shit, you’re right this is amazing! I can’t believe I really managed to run through that wall without ending up seriously injured!”

 

“You haven’t seen anything yet, the castle and everything there will be much more fascinating. Come on, I’ll show you where you can load your suitcases,” Johnny laughs, making his way through the crowds with Donghyuck following closely behind.

 

Johnny was a Fifth Year Gryffindor student, and also Donghyuck’s neighbour. Being a Muggle-Born, Donghyuck could not have brought his parents into Platform 9¾, so he was immensely grateful for the older boy, who was also a Muggle-Born, offering company and support despite only knowing him for one year and a half after moving in as the new neighbour. They had gotten along right off the bat, and Johnny had also been the one to accompany Donghyuck on his first trip to Diagon Alley, where he purchased his school materials and wand.

 

From his conversations with Johnny where he had begged for details about his life at Hogwarts, Donghyuck knew that Johnny was a pretty decent student, with a close group of friends whom he treasured greatly, and that he was also the officially appointed announcer for Quidditch matches, a fact that had excited Donghyuck greatly.

 

Donghyuck had grown up loving to take photographs, and Johnny had mentioned that due to his position he might be able to pull some strings with the Quidditch coach in order to get Donghyuck to be able to take some pictures of the matches after seeing his enthusiasm at wanting to capture the various new experiences that he could receive during his time at Hogwarts. It was just one of the many things he was looking forward to, and he had ensured that his trusty camera was safely tucked away in his suitcase now.

 

The duo loaded their luggage and boarded the Hogwarts Express, with Donghyuck shaking nervously as he took in the interior of the train. There were rows of carriages and the older students were moving from one to another to find their old friends and catch up.

 

“Okay Hyuckie, I’m going to go find the guys now. Do you want to join me? I’m sure they’d like to meet you!”

 

“It’s alright, you go ahead! I want to try and see if there are any other lonely first years around here who I can join so that I’m not completely friendless when we reach. And I’m sure you want to find your boyfriend Taeil as soon as possible, don’t you?” Donghyuck teases as Johnny colours slightly, and then calls out a _take care of yourself brat_ before making his way down the train hallway first.

 

Donghyuck sucks in a breath before he starts moving, awkwardly glancing through the windows of carriages as he tried to spot one which seemed to contain anyone who could possibly be another first year. He comes to a stop outside a carriage which contained only one small boy inside, and tentatively pushed open the door.

 

“Um, hey! Is anyone going to be joining you or is that seat free?”

 

The boy looked up from where he was petting the small black cat on his lap, his soft brown hair falling slightly above his eyes. He was not wearing the robes of with the colours any particular house on the collar, so Donghyuck mentally congratulates himself on finding a fellow First Year. With a sweet smile, the other gestures to the opposite seat which Donghyuck had asked about. “It’s free, you can take it if you want.”

 

“That’s great! Nice to meet you, I’m Lee Donghyuck,” He introduces himself, holding out a hand.

 

The boy accepts it and replies, “Huang Renjun.”

 

—

 

Time at Hogwarts flew by fast during Donghyuck’s first few weeks there.

 

The Sorting Hat had placed Donghyuck in Slytherin almost immediately after being lowered on Donghyuck’s head, and to Donghyuck’s delight, Renjun had been sorted into the same house as well. They sat next to each other at the house table in the Great Hall and grinned, both relieved to have each other, while another boy with a bright smile slid in opposite them and introduced himself as Jaemin. The trio became close quickly, especially as they became roommates, and a shy Hufflepuff with a beautiful eyesmile named Jeno soon joined their little group after he met Renjun while returning him his black cat that had snuck away.

 

Donghyuck also tried to get through his lessons, and was surprisingly good at Charms, being one of the few who could immediately catch onto casting the spells taught. (When he had first managed to successfully cast Wingardium Leviosa on the feather they were assigned to in class Renjun had dared him to try it on their heavy textbook to see how skilled he actually was and if he could manage it. It dropped on Jaemin’s foot after two seconds floating in air. Jaemin picked it up and used it to hit Donghyuck’s head in retaliation. Professor Kim had removed ten points from Slytherin with a disapproving look while Renjun tried to hide his laughter and Jeno sighed.)

 

And of course, Donghyuck also snuck around with his friends to capture the surreal landscape around the castle with his beloved camera. As he thought about some of the stunning shots he had captured previously during one Astronomy lesson, he looked at the stars that he used to wish on for magic, and now wishes for it to last.

 

—

 

 _Fuck I can’t believe I’m going to be late for the first match that I’m going to shoot,_ Donghyuck thinks as he rushes to the Quidditch Pitch with his camera in his hand. He races up the steps of the stands to reach where Johnny was supposed to be, announcing the progress of the match. The match was Gryffindor against Hufflepuff, and Donghyuck notices the specs of red and yellow speeding through the air as he made his way up. There was also a huge uproar from the crowd for something that was going on in the field, adding to the frenzy of the match.

 

As Donghyuck finally reaches the top floor, he scans the surroundings for Johnny and spots him right in the front row where he could get the best view for announcing, with a few professors seated in the rows behind. “Hey, Johnny oh man I’m so sorry I’m late! Has most of the match already passed?” He calls, moving to the front.

 

Johnny turns around upon hearing his name and waved him over in a rush, but his appearance gave Donghyuck a shock. His usually well-groomed hair was sticking up at odd angles, which Donghyuck reasons was probably to the strong wind at the pitch, but that didn’t explain the look in his eyes though, wild with something that seemed like panic.

 

Donghyuck turns his gaze to the air as he reached Johnny, finally taking in the scene of the match in front of him. The players all seemed to be zooming around on their brooms hastily, as if they were running from something, with the Beaters swinging their bats around themselves almost without looking at their surroundings and he also spotted one specific ball (the Quaffle?) zipping up and down at such a speed that he couldn’t follow it properly.

 

Donghyuck had never actually paid much attention during his Quidditch lessons after he decided the sport was far too active for his liking (it was actually because he could not summon a broom during his first lesson while everyone else could and his injured pride might have caused him to dislike the subject but there was no way he would admit that), so he didn’t expect himself to figure out what was actually going on, but what he was observing was definitely more chaotic how he thought it would be.

 

As he takes in all this, a player in flaming red Gryffindor robes flew towards the stands and halted right in front of where Johnny and Donghyuck were located. With gasping breaths and one hand on his broom and the other gesturing wildly, he yells, “Hey can someone—this just—Help?” and turns slightly to look back at the air where the other players were still flying around.

 

If what he observed was not what he had really expected, hearing that was another level of unexpected. I mean, Quidditch players were never supposed to ask for help right?

 

“Man, what the fuck, isn’t that your job to handle? Are Quidditch players that useless? Damn,” He lets out without thinking.

 

And immediately freezes, for his comment had suddenly come out amplified, with his voice ringing across the pitch.

 

“Wha—“ He starts as Johnny turns to him, with his jaw dropping as he gestures his hand to what was in front of him, which Donghyuck had not noticed before.

 

It was a fucking loud hailer, which had obviously been charmed so that Johnny could announce the updates of the match without having to shout throughout. Realization strikes Donghyuck as he turns back to the player in front of him, who had obviously heard (along with most of the audience that included the professors) and was now distracted from the match, sporting an almost offended look.

 

“I—“ Donghyuck starts, racking his brains to come up with something now that he was probably in deep shit, when he noticed a blur speeding in the player’s direction.

 

“LOOK OUT—“ Before he could finish, the ball that had been speeding around before, which Donghyuck just realizes was actually a Bludger instead of a Quaffle, slammed right into the Gryffindor’s head.

 

And he went down, blacking out immediately.

 

As these events played out in front of his eyes, Donghyuck opens his mouth once again to let out the only wise words he could come up with.

 

“Oh, fuck.”

 

—

 

“So you’re telling me, that in the first fucking Quidditch match you showed up to, you basically distracted Mark Lee so he lost his focus and got hit by a Bludger? And now he’s passed out and in the Hospital Wing.”

 

“Did you hear a word I say, Jaemin? It was a _rogue_ Bludger and he turned around when I accidentally called him useless so he ended up getting hit by it. It’s not really my fault.”

 

“It literally is though.”

 

“How did you manage to land Mark Lee of all people in the Hospital Wing? Did you know it was his first match?” Jeno says in a frustrated tone as he paces around the empty Courtyard, where he had gathered with Donghyuck, Jaemin and Renjun after the disaster of a Quidditch match had been stopped.

 

“Okay firstly, I obviously did not, I don’t even know the guy! Secondly, how do _you_ know him? He’s a Gryffindor. You also sound awfully worried because it’s this Mark specifically and not anyone else, do you like him or something?” Donghyuck shoots back, trying press down the rising guilt as his consciousness agreed with his friends’ point that it was mostly his fault that Mark had ended up getting hurt.

 

“Of course not, and I know him precisely because he’s a Gryffindor and Hufflepuff was against him in the match. Everyone at the Common Room was going on about how tough the match was going to be because apparently, he’s one of their best players based off what was observed in only practice sessions since he hadn’t played yet. Which means that if their team decides you’re to blame for his situation completely then _you_ are in deep shit. He’s also one of the most popular students in Year 2, how blur have you been to have not even heard his name around in the past few months? Anyway, that’s not what is important now. You should get at least go and see him, Hyuck.”

 

“Jeno’s right, Hyuckie, you should visit him and apologize. I know it’s not entirely your fault but what you said without thinking did partly lead to this mess,” Renjun said gently, and Donghyuck could no longer bring himself to disagree. Jeno’s mention of the Gryffindor team and Mark’s skills might have also slightly stirred up some panic within him.

 

He sighed, looking down at his shoes, “Yeah, you guys are right, sorry. I’ll go talk to him and try to make things better.”

 

“Smart choice, Hyuckie,” Renjun smiles. “Okay now that that’s settled, how did you get off this without detention or anything? I thought you’d have to deal with worse considering many professors were present.”

 

“Oh god, don’t remind me, why did Johnny even use a charmed loud-hailer instead of that stupid spell that can just amplify his voice?” Donghyuck says, shivering as he recalled his favourite professor, Professor Lee’s, disappointed look as he took twenty points off Slytherin for swearing in public before he rushed over to where Mark had fallen along with the others. “It was probably only because they were more focused on planning the worst for whichever fool thought hexing the Bludger and making it go wild was a good prank. Anyway, let’s start coming up with a plan now.”

 

“Plan? What plan?”

 

“A plan for me to get into the Hospital Wing without running into any of Mark’s Gryffindor teammates who might want to beat my ass for distracting their beloved star player and causing him to end up in a damn sick bed.”

 

—

 

Donghyuck looks around nervously again to ensure that there was no one around as he slowly crept to the entrance of the Hospital Wing. He recalls what Johnny had told him about when to enter to see Mark and prays for his own sake that what he said was right.

 

(“Hey kiddo, what’s up?” Johnny had asked as Donghyuck approached him wearing a slightly worried expression.

 

“Uh, so yeah, what happened at the match, I basically want to go and see Mark and like? Apologize? Cause it was kind of my fault that he didn’t see the Bludger coming at him and got hurt. Except I don’t know if I will be allowed to go see him, since I’m not his friend. So I need your help cause when I asked my dumbass friends for a plan they could only come up with bullshit like making Polyjuice potion to look like one of his teammates so I can go in and like obviously that’s not going to work so yes— Help?” Donghyuck had finished awkwardly as a smile cracked on Johnny’s face.

 

“Oh yeah, I definitely remember that mess, I would’ve yelled at you for kind of landing one of my favourite juniors in the hospital right then but you’re also one of my favourites and I know sometimes you can’t shut that mouth of yours up,” Johnny had said while affectionately ruffling the younger’s hair as he flushed.

 

“Now forget about thinking up of stupid plans, you just have to go to the Hospital Wing at about 7pm right before dinner cause that’s when it’s empty so no nurses will be there to stop you. I heard the Gryffindor team has already gone to visit him earlier, so they won’t be there either. Don’t worry about it, okay? Mark’s a nice guy and he wouldn’t be angry at you. Oh yeah, by the way he’s at the last bed on the right.”)

 

Donghyuck makes his way through the row of beds to the end where he notices the silhouette of a figure lying down. He slightly pushes back the temporary curtains that had been drawn before the bed and looked down at the bed.

 

Mark was sleeping in a sideways position, with his hair messily scattered atop the bandages that had been wrapped around his head. The sight of the bandages causes guilt to well up in Donghyuck again, as he wonders whether he should wait for Mark to wake up or just leave and return at another time, then decides on the former and moves to sit on the chair near Mark’s bedside.

 

The small table next to the chair was loaded with flowers and chocolates, obviously gifts wishing Mark a speedy recovery, causing Donghyuck to realize the truth in Jeno’s words when he had claimed that Mark was one of the most popular students in his year. _Wow I really messed up,_ he thinks as he finally takes a proper look at the Gryffindor.

 

Mark’s hair was a jet black, and he had long, thick lashes that fanned his cheeks as he slept. In the distance, the sun was going down, and the light in gorgeous shades of orange was streaming in through the open windows, casting a light glow on the boy. Now that he wasn’t in the midst of a chaotic match, Donghyuck had to admit that he actually looked pretty cute, even though he was also quite scrawny. Maybe it was one of the reasons why he was quite popular. _Okay, stop staring at him, you probably look like some creep,_ a voice in his head snaps and Donghyuck forces his eyes away from the sleeping boy.

 

He turns back when he heard rustling from the bed to see Mark blearily opening his eyes. It was an adorable sight really, even though Donghyuck would not be one to admit it. He slowly turned to take in his surroundings, probably trying to figure out what time it was, and his already big and beautifully brown eyes widening even further once he notices Donghyuck sitting next to him.

 

“Oh! You’re—” He starts, voice hoarse from lack of use and Donghyuck immediately panics as he cut him off and starts rambling.

 

“Hey! Um, I’m not like a creep who was staring at you while you were sleeping, I mean I was here for a bit before you woke up but yeah anyway, I’m Donghyuck and I just want to say I’m really sorry for earlier when I kind of distracted you from staying away from that Bludger and for calling you useless— I don’t actually know if you are since I haven’t seen you play but Jeno says you’re good and I don’t know much about Quidditch anyways. So yes, I’m—What?”

 

He stops abruptly upon seeing an amused smile form on Mark’s face. He tries to sit up and winces, causing Donghyuck to panic once again as he gets to his feet and lightly grabs Mark’s shoulders in an attempt to help him. “Hey, be careful!”

 

Mark smiles again as he sits up properly, his face scrunching adorably, “Thanks, but don’t worry, it’s better than before.”

 

Donghyuck removes his hands, feeling sorry once again for the boy’s pain and opens his mouth to apologize another time.

 

“If you’re going to say sorry again stop, okay?” Mark grins. “It’s fine, I shouldn’t have been distracted when there was a rogue Bludger, I know you didn’t mean it. But your friend Jeno, whoever he is, is quite right. I’d like to think that I’m not too useless at my job.”

 

Donghyuck just stares at Mark in response, not sure whether to think about how Mark just forgave him so easily when he was right there with thick bandages wrapped around partially due to Donghyuck or about how he was joking with the words Donghyuck himself had used previously. _Damn, this guy either has the heart of an angel or that Bludger really did something to his head,_ he thought.

 

As Mark looks at him expectantly for a response, Donghyuck racks his brain to come up with something to say. “Um, okay but I’d still like to do something to make up? If not I’d just feel bad.”

 

Mark’s smile just seemed to get bigger, and almost as if he had expected the question, he immediately replies, “Yeah, Johnny told me you have a Muggle camera and that’s why you were actually at the match the other day? To take pictures? I’d like to see it!”

 

Donghyuck stares at him dumbfounded for a second. “Johnny, oh my god, of course. Did he tell you I was going to be coming over too?”

 

Mark shrugs his shoulders sheepishly. “He might’ve mentioned something about it. Anyways, how about it? Will you show me your camera?”

 

“I—Yeah that shouldn’t be a problem. I mean, thanks to Johnny I managed to get permission from the Quidditch coach to sit in during practice session and official matches with my camera even though he probably hates me for pretty much flopping his classes. I’ve only been to like one Slytherin session so far but I could show you after your Gryffindor practices if I show up there one day?”

 

“That’s great! I can update you when we get our future practice schedules. I’ll probably see you around the Great Hall sometime, so I’ll just tell you then” Mark says, his eyes shining brightly, while Donghyuck was still generally shocked at this entire conversation. It had really not gone in the direction he expected (Donghyuck was not sure what exactly he had expected, it definitely was not the injured boy being all smiley and asking about Donghyuck’s camera out of everything that had happened).

 

Donghyuck let out a small laugh at the absurdity of the situation. “Sure, but make sure your head is alright before your next practice, okay? I don’t want to go and watch you playing Quidditch only to plummet to the ground again because you blacked out and end up showing you my camera in this Hospital Wing.”

 

Mark lets out a bark of laughter and then holds his head as a small jolt of pain shoots through him. “Yeah, you’re definitely right about that.”

 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you around then? Get well soon,” Donghyuck manages awkwardly, stepping away from Mark’s bedside.

 

“Thanks! See you soon, Donghyuck!” Mark waved, and Donghyuck shoots him one last smile before turning to leave.

 

 _Maybe,_ Donghyuck thinks, _this development isn’t so bad after all,_ as the boy with bandages wrapped around his head and bright smiles remained imprinted his head for the rest of the night.

 

—

 

Skipping dinner at the Great Hall to sneak around the castle grounds after Quidditch practice with a boy with chubby cheeks and sun-kissed skin was not what Mark thought he would be doing in his second year at Hogwarts, but it had quickly a regular occurrence and the favourite part of his time there.

 

Their first meet up had been after Mark healed and returned to Gryffindor practice sessions, with the younger waiting with his camera almost nervously outside the Quidditch Pitch, looking up as Mark had come out carrying his Firebolt.

 

“Hey Donghyuck! Did you sit in for the practice?”

 

“Yeah, I got some nice pictures earlier, glad you didn’t black out when I was taking them,” the Slytherin had replied, grinning teasingly. “Maybe I’ll even show them to you if you get out of those changing rooms fast and don’t keep me waiting.”

 

Mark had changed and came out in five minutes flat.

 

Later on, they had strolled around near the back of the Castle, Donghyuck showing Mark his photographs as well as areas he himself had never been to before despite having been at Hogwarts a year earlier. He had brightened at Mark’s amazement at the quality of his pictures and chattered away at the different functions the camera had, or how he had found out could make them move with a special potion, and while it was confusing, it was also some of the most fun Mark had had in a while. That night before they separated to their respective common rooms, Mark had asked if they could do it again, and his eyes had lit up as he agreed immediately.

 

Mark was not sure what had made him come up with the idea of meeting up Donghyuck instead of just letting him go when he had come to the Hospital Wing that day or asked to hang out again. Maybe it was his interest in muggle objects or his curiosity about Donghyuck himself after hearing his fellow Gryffindor senior and friend Johnny talk about his mischievous neighbour, but whatever it was, he was glad he did.

 

The two were opposites at first glance, Donghyuck with his wit and sharp tongue, Mark with his earnest and sweet personality.

 

But Donghyuck was also much more than that. The younger full of talent, apart from his photography skills he was also surprisingly a good singer, his voice always being right on pitch and full of emotions. He had left Mark shell-shocked the first time, and he was still amazed every time after. He was also one of the best amongst the first years for Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts, so even though he did miserably at his other subjects, that was pretty impressive.

 

The younger was also supportive and affectionate to those he was close with, clinging onto them, grabbing onto their hands or pressing light kisses on their cheeks at unexpected times. It had surprised Mark the first few times, but he gotten used to it soon, this trait just adding onto the fact that the younger was full of surprises. (Before Mark’s first Quidditch match against Ravenclaw after the incident, the younger had pecked his cheek softly as a form of encouragement, and Mark had ended up catching his first Golden Snitch.)

 

Soon enough, Donghyuck had introduced him to his friends, Renjun with his kind yet snarky personality, Jaemin who was playful but endearing, and Jeno with his sweet and supportive self, and somehow Mark found himself clicking with them immediately too. Most of Mark’s friends were older than him, due to the closest friends he knew so far being Johnny and Jaehyun who were also in Gryffindor through the Quidditch team, so while the dynamics he had with his new friends were slightly different, it was a good kind.

 

When Mark is fourteen, he meets Donghyuck and takes a Bludger to the head in the middle of the year, but strangely by the end of it, he had gained trustworthy friends who he would not trade for the world.

 

—

 

Donghyuck’s first three years at Hogwarts pass by quickly, with both ups and downs, but Donghyuck finds that having his friends by his side had made it significantly more manageable.

 

Renjun, Jeno and Jaemin were always there, from suffering with him through hellish classes to fooling around with together when they could finally go to Hogsmeade during their third year.

 

When Donghyuck was in his second year, he meets Chenle, a Ravenclaw, through Renjun who knew him from when neighbours, and when he was in his third year, he also gets to know Jisung, a fellow Slytherin, through Jaemin, when the young boy joins Jaemin in the Quidditch team right from his first year due to his exceptional talent. The youngest duo is adorable, and Donghyuck finds himself taking to them like they were his very own siblings.

 

And there was Mark. When he had first met the elder out of the Hospital Wing, he hadn’t really known what to expect, and was presented with a sweet boy who was as earnest as he had sounded when he was with his head in bandages.

 

Mark had ended up fitting in easily in Donghyuck’s life, as if he was a puzzle piece that was always meant to be there. Despite being a year older, it felt like there was no difference as he went along with Donghyuck’s antics like his other three same-aged friends. But he was also still more mature in a way, knowing when to stop things when Donghyuck’s idea became a little too extreme, such as the time during Donghyuck’s second year, when Mark had been able to go to Hogsmeade being in his third.

 

The younger had been so bored during the first few weekends alone that he had casually wondered whether he should go to the Forbidden Section in the library to find a way to make himself invisible so that he could join too. And had almost done it along with Jaemin, before Mark had caught them with a horrified expression and whacked them with his big Potions textbook. It had hurt, but the older boy had just done it again which had Donghyuck dropping his master plan.

 

At the same time, being with Mark was also like freedom, due to the other being such a good listener. It had given Donghyuck the chance to talk about all the things that he wanted to which he couldn’t with most others, about his photographs, his dreams, the Muggle World, while most of the time the other just listened intently, almost fascinated. He didn’t know why, but he appreciated it more than he let on.

 

(“Hey Hyuck, what are you doing?” Mark had asked as he noticed Donghyuck closing his eyes and mumbling something.

 

“Huh? Oh, it’s just an old habit, I’m wishing on a star,” he had said, pointing at the first star that had appeared. Upon noticing Mark’s confused expression, he continued, “It’s just a saying in Muggle fairy tales, that if you wish on the first evening star or a shooting star your wish will come true. I know it’s not true, but I’ve done it since I was young, so I don’t want to just suddenly stop it I guess. I mean, the stars are always a constant in both worlds so might as well make this habit one too, it’s weirdly comforting.”

 

While he had expected Mark to laugh at his silly little routine, he was left surprised as Mark just went, “Yeah? That’s cool. What did you wish for tonight then?”

 

“To be able to save my grades because I’m on the verge of failing everything other than Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts,” Donghyuck groans, looking down at the textbooks before him and Mark laughs.

 

“Well, guess your wish is coming true this time then, since I’m here to help you save your ass by teaching you,” He grins and Donghyuck lets out a scoff.

 

“I’d probably learn better after reading these by myself than trying to listen to you.”

 

It really was Mark who ended up helping him to salvage his grades, being the one who excelled in most subjects, and Donghyuck was very grateful.)

 

Mark becomes Donghyuck’s safe space, someone who he could confide in, lean on and trust, like a human version of his secret spot Donghyuck finds out about hidden away at in the woods near the Caretaker’s hut one day during his adventures where he could go to knowing it would always be there welcoming him.

 

(His secret spot obviously becomes their secret spot soon enough, but Donghyuck finds that it only makes it even better.)

 

When Donghyuck is thirteen, he finds a best friend through a very unexpected situation, and through the years on, he knows he will never let the other go.

 

—

 

Donghyuck’s fourth year is one full of achievements and realizations, but he supposes that it would’ve all happened sooner or later.

 

Mark becomes the Captain of the Gryffindor team and a Prefect, while Donghyuck finds himself hearing Professor Lee, who was now also the Deputy Headmaster, granting him permission to officially take pictures of Quidditch matches for the school instead of just doing it for himself, and that his pictures will be used in the Quidditch Hall of Fame.

 

The word of his talent in photography spreads, and Donghyuck ends up meeting students he’s never even seen when they turn up at the door of the Slytherin dorms looking for him to ask him to take other pictures that they could use, offering favors in return. It’s tiring at times, especially since he has to deal with studying for O.W.L.s which he would be taking the next year as well, but he’s still overjoyed.

 

One might think that with such busy and entirely different schedules for both, there would be some distance, but Mark and Donghyuck still found a way to make it work, with Donghyuck sitting in on every Quidditch practice that he could make time for, trying to perfect his angles in order to get quality shots during the actual matches, and the duo usually ended up studying together afterwards in their secret spot.

 

Rather than their relationship being any different, Donghyuck thinks it’s his feelings that are. He doesn’t know when it started, but it was probably when he started noticing and wishing for things he didn’t before.

 

While both of them had obviously grown up through the years, Mark had, at some point become taller than Donghyuck. The scrawny boy that Donghyuck had seen in the Hospital Wing was long gone, Mark now being lean and strong, with broad shoulders and all. Quiddtich practice for four years had definitely did some good.

 

In other words, Donghyuck ends up realizing that his best friend was actually pretty attractive, and was very shocked about it.

 

That wasn’t the end of it. Donghyuck found himself thinking about more. About how Mark’s hand seems to fit so well in his when he randomly grabbed his hand like he always had, and how he didn’t want to remove them now. About how he wanted to have his lips pressed up against Mark’s and kiss him until he was dizzy, instead of giving him only those small cheek kisses like he does to the others as well.

 

And he also knows why.

 

It hits him one day during the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor match, Mark’s first after becoming Captain. While Donghyuck tried his best to shoot all the players in the air equally, he couldn’t help but focus on Mark slightly more.

 

The older boy was concentrating fiercely on the match as one would expect, but Donghyuck had noticed that now he was paying attention to all the members of his team, ensuring that they were playing well with the strategies they had trained for and not getting injured as he called out short commands, and at the same time also keeping his eye on the Snitch, while previously his sole focus had only been on catching it and ending the game.

 

It was amazing really, the things Mark was capable of. Even with all his responsibilities, he still somehow managed to excel in schoolwork, with the only exception being Potions, and was also adored by all the Professors and practically the whole student body due to his amiable and diligent personality. And yet there he was, humble as always, and when the team won he went out with his beautiful smile praising everyone on the team for winning the match for Gryffindor, without taking credit for anything.

 

He had then turned and given Donghyuck the same smile, waving excitedly as he made his way over, as if Donghyuck had played some part in the victory when all he did was sit and take photographs, and Donghyuck feels his heartbeat quicken at that, wondering what he did to be able to have someone so wonderful next to him. The boy was so well loved by everyone else, but here he was with Donghyuck instead as if he were someone special, and he wanted for that to never change. He wanted to never let Mark go.

 

 _So that’s how it is,_ Donghyuck realizes simply, _I’m in love with him._

 

He takes this quite calmly, Donghyuck likes to think, knowing that he was one who was quite in touch with his emotions, especially in comparison to Mark. (He actually didn’t, the evening after that match he had simply muttered a quick _congratulations on winning idiot,_ then turned tail and run back to the dorms wondering what in the hell he should do now, leaving a very confused and worried Mark behind and lying to Renjun and Jaemin who arrived later that night about not feeling well. The older boy had showed up in front of the Slytherin dorms early next morning, worried out of his mind due to Donghyuck’s actions and he just found himself falling harder.)

 

Donghyuck starts off wondering if he should actually tell someone, but ends up concluding that it would be better if he pretended nothing had changed for him, knowing that their friendship was too valuable and that even hinting anything might complicate things. The two had known each other over a span of four years now, and his newfound emotions might put an end to that if Mark didn’t feel the same way, which Donghyuck was pretty convinced weren’t the same, for no matter how much he knows the other cared about him, he had never hinted at anything else.

 

Mark had always deserved more than just Donghyuck too after all, he thinks.

 

It hurt to accept, leaving Donghyuck’s heart squeezing painfully every time Mark does or says something sweet being the angel that he is, but as he looks at Mark in front of him now, frowning adorably over his Potions textbook, he decides that this is better than risking it all.

 

Donghyuck had many skills, even if he says so himself, so adding on a new one where he was hiding his desires, while hard, was not something that he couldn’t manage, and he just lets it be that way.

 

When Donghyuck is sixteen, he looks up at the stars and lets them be the only ones who can hear his inner thoughts, and lets it be the only time when he allows himself to wish desperately for the happy endings he had been told about in fairy tales when he was young.

 

—

 

“C’mon, get on,” Mark slings his bag over his shoulder and gets on his Firebolt, grinning back at Donghyuck as he extends his hand to the other.

 

Donghyuck stares back at him as if he’s grown two heads.

 

It was Donghyuck’s birthday, and while the boys usually don’t bother to make a huge fuss out of birthdays, this time Mark had actually decided to come up with something for the younger, suddenly feeling the desire to do something for the other who had been working harder than ever that year. So here he was at the Pitch after Quidditch practice, asking Donghyuck to climb onto his Firebolt even though he knows the younger hates flying.

 

“Stop just standing there staring and get on already, I want to go to the Black Lake by today, not next year.”

 

Donghyuck continues to stare at him.

 

“You want to go to the Black Lake,” He repeats after a few moments of silence.

 

“Yes.”

 

“And you want to fly there.”

 

“Yes, it’s faster.”

 

“You want to do this instead of studying.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Who are you and what have you done with Mark Lee?”

 

“Don’t be so dramatic, Hyuck, I just don’t feel like studying today,” Mark sighs. “Are you coming?”

 

“Mark, you know I suck at flying.”

 

“Yeah, that’s why you’ll be flying with me. Or do you see another broomstick around?”

 

Donghyuck looks down at his shoes and mutters, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

 

“You know you can trust me when it comes to flying,’ Mark smiles softly, and it seems to do the trick.

 

Donghyuck mounts the broom behind Mark and lightly curls his arms around his waist, and Mark takes off. The rise has Donghyuck gasping slightly and Mark couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

 

“You’re really just _so_ scared of flying, aren’t you?”

 

“Shut up, not all of us live in the air half the time like you do—OH MY GOD I TRUSTED YOU!” Donghyuck lets out an ear-splitting shriek and tightens his arms around Mark as he suddenly swoops down playfully and bursts out into laughter again.

 

“Not scared, huh?” He jokes, as Donghyuck presses himself even closer to Mark, burying his face in the crook of Mark’s neck.

 

“Don’t you dare do that again, Mark Lee,” Donghyuck mumbles, probably trying to sound threatening, but it ended up coming out slightly muffled. His breath tickles Mark’s nape, and goosebumps rise across his flesh as Mark suddenly realizes how closely they were pressed together, Donghyuck’s warm and soft body against his.

 

Feeling his heart hammering against his ribs and not knowing why, Mark speeds up, eager to land.

 

The younger flops down onto the soft grass next to the lake the moment he gets off, closing his eyes and sighing in relief.

 

“Oh, sweet ground, how I missed you.”

 

“We flew for like, five minutes, Hyuck,” Mark deadpans as he sets down his Firebolt and bag before laying down next to the boy.

 

“Five minutes too much,” He groans. “But this _is_ nice, you might have actually made good use of your brain when you decided we should come here today even though we flew.”

 

“Wow, thanks,” Mark retorts as he turns on his side, facing Donghyuck who was still resting with his eyes closed, and they stayed there quietly, listening to the sounds of nature around them.

 

As Mark looked, the light from the setting sun casts an amber glow on the other, making his flawless and tanned skin look even more dazzling and his auburn hair look like it was flaming, as though Donghyuck was a child of the sun herself.

 

His gaze travels down the other’s face, drinking in his features. Donghyuck had a splash of moles scattered across his nose and cheeks, leading down to his neck. Mark’s eyes trace them slowly, realizing that the younger had constellations embedded in his skin, and ponders about he had never noticed them before.

 

With the boy lying so close to him, Mark wonders what would happen if he moved forward just a little more, how he could trace them with his own lips instead, and then suddenly catches himself.

 

 _What am I even doing,_ he thinks, surprised at himself, and rolls over, reaching out for his bag.

 

Sitting up, he digs around, trying to find what he had actually prepared for Donghyuck’s birthday. As his hand brushes over a familiar vial, he lets out a small sound of triumph.

 

Donghyuck opens his eyes at his voice and peers curiously at Mark as he pulls the vial out of his bag. “Happy Birthday, Hyuckie,” Mark pushes the vial over to Donghyuck as the other sits up as well, taking the vial into his hands, surprise colouring his eyes at the sudden announcement.

 

“Thanks Mark, that’s nice of you. What is it though?”

 

“It’s the potion that you use to make your photos move.”

 

Donghyuck gives him an amazed look. “But you suck at Potions.”

 

“Wow Hyuck, I’m not _that_ bad,” Mark mutters, slightly disappointed at the reaction he was getting. (He actually was pretty bad though, it had taken him multiple tries and some new cauldrons before he had even managed to come up with something that didn’t blow up on him. But Donghyuck didn’t need to know that.) “I mean, now that almost everyone knows you take pictures and many keep asking you to take some for them I just figured you’d need a lot more and decided to try—”

 

Before he could finish, Donghyuck had set aside the vial and flung his arms around Mark, the force of it so strong that they both ended up toppling onto the ground.

 

“Thanks Mark, I really appreciate it,” Donghyuck giggles, his voice high and sweet, a light pink dusting the apples of his cheeks, and a surge of affection fills up within Mark.

 

He looks at the boy in his arms, smiling from ear to ear, and thinks he would do anything to make him this happy again.

 

(“So, now you can take pictures of the sun setting over the Lake and give it to me,” Mark says proudly later on.

 

“I don’t even have my camera, dumbass. I thought we were going to study, remember?

 

“Oh, right.”)

 

—

 

"Guess officially allowed to photograph the Triwizard Tournament, losers!” Donghyuck screams as he runs over to where his friends were eating breakfast at the Great Hall, with a face splitting grin on.

 

They explode into exclamations and Jeno grabs him into a one-armed hug while Mark ruffles his hair, a proud smile forming.

 

“Shit Hyuck, you’re so lucky you’re Prof Lee’s favourite and that he has connections to allow you, this is _huge_ ,” Jaemin tells him as Donghyuck slides into seat opposite him, unable to stop smiling.

 

“Guess you’ll be taking even more pictures of Mark now,” Chenle jokes and Mark shoves him lightly, “I don’t even know if I’ll get chosen, Lele.”

 

It was Donghyuck’s fifth year now, and the Triwizard Tournament going to take place, with Hogwarts being the host, compared to how previously when it had been held at one of the rival schools, the Beaxbatons Academy of Magic.

 

The delegations from Beauxbatons and the other participating school, Durmstrang Institute, were set to arrive that night, and the selections for the respective school champions through the Goblet of Fire was to happen the next day.

 

Which was the reason why Professor Lee had pulled Donghyuck aside that morning, informing him that he had been able to allow the boy to take pictures of the competitors officially, and that he was granted access to areas that usually those working for some of the Wizarding Newspapers could enter, and Donghyuck had been over the moon.

 

Mark, on the other hand, being eighteen, was old enough to enter the competition, and considering how he was one of the top students at school who also holds various responsibilities, he was one who majority had wanted to be the Hogwarts representative. Mark, being as ambitious as he was, had also admitted that he wouldn’t mind taking on this new challenge too.

 

As the boys continued to chatter excitedly, the postal owls enter the hall like they usually do in the morning and a letter drops in Donghyuck’s hands.

 

“That’s your third letter this week, Hyuck. Is something up?” Renjun asks as Donghyuck tucks it away without even looking at it.

 

“Don’t worry, everything’s fine,” Donghyuck smiles, knowing exactly who it was from, excitement increasing. The next few months were going to be eventful.

 

—

 

Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall, seated at according to their houses and buzzing in anticipation for the selection of the Triwizard tournament champions. The students from Durmstrang were near the front at the right side of the hall while those from Beauxbatons were on the left.

 

Donghyuck was fiddling with his camera, trying to use up some of his nervous energy while waiting for the Headmaster to enter and finally commence the process, with Jaemin and Renjun next to him and Jisung opposite them, wondering about the possible outcomes.

 

“I heard that from Durmstrang they’re hoping for someone called Lucas to be selected. Apparently that dude’s amazing at Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms, kinda like you Hyuck. And it could be really beneficial for him for both offence and defence if he gets chosen especially considering some of the tasks from previous tournaments,” Jaemin was saying.

 

“How good could he be? I’m sure there are better,” Donghyuck said before he could stop himself, as a familiar name popped up in his head. _Xuxi._

 

“Well, I guess we’ll see soon,” Renjun replies. “Let’s just hope Mark gets chosen for Hogwarts.”

 

Donghyuck turns once more to look towards the Gryffindor table, where Mark was, to find the older boy already looking back at him, with a worried look on his face. Donghyuck shot back a smile, trying to make it as encouraging as possible, and gave him a thumbs up.

 

The Great Hall doors then banged open and silence fell as the Headmaster strode in to the front of the Hall where the Goblet of Fire was.

 

As the students watched, a piece of paper shot out from the Goblet.

 

The first name announced was Yeri, from Beauxbatons, a pretty girl with short black hair. Donghyuck focuses his camera as she and her friends rose to her feet, cheering.

 

Then second piece of paper came out.

 

“From Hogwarts…… Mark Lee!”

 

“Yes!” Donghyuck cheers, shooting to his feet along with the others, clapping their hands loudly and whooping. He was pretty sure he could hear Chenle’s dolphin-like scream all the way from the Ravenclaw tables.

 

An expression of relief falls over Mark the moment his name got called as he gets pulled into hugs from the Gryffindors next to him. Catching his eye in the middle of all the cheers, Mark gives Donghyuck a brilliant smile, with his nose crinkling adorably, and Donghyuck could have sworn his heart skipped a beat.

 

Once they settled down and focused again, it was time for the final selection. The Durmstrang Champion.

 

Donghyuck grabs his camera from the table again, pointing it in the direction of the Durmstrang students, zooming in slightly, searching for a familiar face.

 

The flames in the Goblet sparked again, and the third and final sheet of charred parchment came out. Everyone held their breaths, and then the Headmaster finally announced, “Lucas Wong from The Durmstrang Institute!”

 

Donghyuck felt a small sense of disappointment surge in him as he directs his camera to where the Durmstrang students had started to huddle, cheering on their champion. The competitor could be spotted easily from the distance where Donghyuck was seated, being extremely tall.

 

“Hey Hyuck, do you think you can take a picture of this guy? I can’t see him clearly from since they’re all the way there and I want to know who Mark’s up against.” Jaemin asks, his eyes full of curiosity.

 

Humming in agreement, Donghyuck zooms in even more, focusing on the one who was in the centre of the celebrations, trying to get a clear shot. And almost drops his camera in shock as he notices the features of the Durmstrang champion through the lenses.

 

_What the fuck._

 

Shell-shocked, he slowly places his camera back onto the table, barely noticing Renjun and Jaemin grabbing it to take a look and then realizing he had not taken any shots. Their surprise and questions towards Donghyuck went unheeded as he goes over the familiarity of the boy he had just seen.

 

_Xuxi. Lucas is Xuxi. What the fuck._

 

Questions ran through Donghyuck’s head as the Headmaster’s congratulations to the competitors and his dismissal of the students fell lightly on his ears, and people started getting to their feet to leave. Donghyuck rises, the only thought in his head being meeting Xuxi and asking him about this whole _situation._ He pushes past the students that were streaming towards the doors of the Great Hall, forgetting that he had left his camera behind as he ignores the confused calls of his friends after him.

 

He makes his way towards where the Durmstrang students were splitting up into their own little groups, towards where he noticed Xuxi was. The boy had a wide grin on his lips, his big and dazzling eyes shining with excitement as he chattered away to his friends, clearly pleased with his selection.

 

Donghyuck marches up to the group of boys, only slightly intimidated at how tall they all seemed. As he approaches, Xuxi turns slightly, his sight finally falling in the direction of where Donghyuck was. His eyes widen in recognition as he cut off whatever conversation he was part of and stares back, slightly gaping.

 

“Donghyuck—” He breathes, and the rest of his Durmstrang friends turned to stare at Donghyuck, following Xuxi’s sudden silence. It hit Donghyuck that starting up a conversation there in the Great Hall might not be the best possible idea, so he mouthes a _Follow me_ and turns to move out of the Great Hall immediately as Xuxi nods, still frozen.

 

The only indication he had that Xuxi was following was a _Be right back_ being choked out and the thud of footsteps behind him as Donghyuck set a speedy pace to the corridors near the Courtyard.

 

—

 

“When the fuck did you become a Lucas?”

 

“It’s been six years since we last met and this is the first thing you say to me? No ‘Hi Xuxi I really missed you’ or a hug?”

 

“Shut up, I thought that you weren’t going to be the Durmstrang champion and almost felt bad for you since you kept telling me how you wanted to get chosen and then I _finally_ saw your goofy ass face and realized you were actually this Lucas who was selected,” Donghyuck grumbles.

 

“Aww Duckie, were you worried about my feelings? That’s sweet,” Xuxi grins, while taking a step forward.

 

“Please I was more worried about what I’d have to deal with if you started to sulk this entire—“ Donghyuck was cut off as Xuxi gently pulls him into his arms.

 

“I really missed you, you know,” Xuxi says softly, his chin resting on Donghyuck’s hair. “Even though we kept in contact through the letters it didn’t feel the same.”

 

Donghyuck wraps his arms around Xuxi, returning the hug. “Me too, you dumbass. It’s good to see you again.”

 

Xuxi pulls away slightly, keeping Donghyuck at arm’s length. “Wow, now that I’m finally looking at you properly I realize that you sure didn’t grow through all these years. You’re absolutely tiny. Maybe that’s why we couldn’t find each other in the Hall yesterday,” he smirks.

 

“Excuse me? You’re just too tall, I mean, you’re like what? Three whole metres? How is that even humanly possible?” Donghyuck shoots back, putting on an offended face.

 

Xuxi burst out laughing at his indignant tone and then his face softens again. He pulls Donghyuck back into his arms and whispers, “I really missed this, missed you, so much.”

 

“I know, you’ve already mentioned that,” Donghyuck laughed quietly, patting Xuxi’s back. While he did not say it out loud, it was comforting to have Xuxi back, and somehow familiar to be back with him, even though they had both gone through and changed so much over the years.

 

After all, Xuxi had been his first and best friend.

 

~~

 

Xuxi had moved into Donghyuck’s neighbourhood when Donghyuck was six and Xuxi was seven. Being next door neighbours, the two families crossed paths often and their parents quickly became friends, as did Donghyuck and Xuxi. The children spent most of their time with each other, bonding over playing at the nearby park until even their energetic little selves were tired out, and the sleepovers that followed.

 

Every time, Xuxi noticed Donghyuck closing his eyes, putting his little hands together and moving his lips silently as the first evening star came out, always making a wish or perhaps even simply telling them his thoughts of the day.

 

The younger had always been fascinated with the stars, and when Xuxi asked him why he just replied with all his innocence, “They’re always there to listen, don’t you think if you wish tell your wishes to them they’ll hear and make it come true?”

 

Xuxi had then asked him what he wished for, and the boy answered with just one word.

 

Magic.

 

Xuxi, being from a family of pure blood wizards, wanted nothing more than to tell the other all he knew, the existence and truth about magic and the Wizarding World, but was still old enough to know that he could not, and so he could only let the boy still believe in his stars and wishes.

 

As Xuxi turned eight and Donghyuck turned seven, he realized that Donghyuck’s wish had actually come true in a way when Xuxi’s parents told him they recognized Donghyuck to have magical abilities.

 

Both boys were elated, Donghyuck especially, as Xuxi filled him in on the existence of magic which the younger had been wishing for, and the two only became closer as they eagerly looked forward to when they could start practicing magic properly when they could attend school. (Of course, that did not stop them from trying to steal the wands of Xuxi’s parents together repeatedly to try spells found in the books at Xuxi’s place, despite getting caught every time.)

 

Even after his wish came true, although in a way that he had not expected, Donghyuck still looked to the stars, and loved them as much as he had before.

 

When Xuxi turned twelve, his parents had announced that they were moving again and that another family will be coming in, much to the disappointment of both boys.

 

The day before Xuxi left, the two of them gathered for a final sleepover in Xuxi’s room. With wide tear-filled eyes and their hands linked, they made a promise under the stars to keep in touch even after being separated. And they kept it.

 

—

 

Mark lets out a laugh as Renjun throws himself at him, giving him a big hug which Jaemin joins while Jeno and Jisung clap his back and Chenle screams his congratulations in his high-pitched tone again.

 

“Thanks guys,” He grins widely, as Jaemin starts to bombard him with questions about the Tournament.

 

“I don’t know either man, remember the Headmaster said we’ll only find out tomorrow,” He replies as his eyes search for a certain someone who he was looking forward seeing to the most and realizes he was missing from their little group. “Hey where’s Hyuck?”

 

A slight frown came over Renjun’s face. “I don’t know, He just shot off in another direction after we were dismissed, and we lost him what with everyone leaving.”

 

“Yeah, he seemed to be in a rush, like he didn’t turn back when we called him. He even left his camera behind,” Jisung lifts up the camera in his arms.

 

“He left his camera behind? He never does that, it’s so important to him,” Mark replies, taken aback and then reaches for the camera. “I’ll go look for him then, I guess.”

 

“I’ll come with you,” Jaemin adds, with Renjun agreeing. “I hope he’s okay.”

 

“I’d come but I promised I’d go help Professor Choi feed his babies,” Jeno says ruefully. The boy had been the top student for Care of Magical Creatures for years now and was adored by the Caretaker.

 

“Same, but Jisung and I still have detention,” Chenle grimacing in unison with Jisung.

 

“It’s alright, we’ll just see you at dinner later,” Mark smiles and they separate ways.

 

“Let’s start off with the place near the back of the Courtyard? Hyuck likes it there, right?” Renjun suggests and they agree, moving downwards.

 

“I wonder what happened, I thought he’d be the first to run to you after the selection ended. I mean, he seemed even more worried than you, Mark. Looked like he was almost going to pass out,” Jaemin mused after a few moments of silence.

 

Blushing slightly, Mark looks down at the camera in his hands before a sense of worry crept up. “Yeah, if he even forgot his camera it must have been something serious.”

 

“Maybe it has something to do with the Durmstrang Champion, he seemed kinda off after the selection was done.”

 

Jaemin hums in agreement as they turned a corner leading to the corridors of the Courtyard. “You’re right, he even didn’t take any pictures of him although he lifted the cam—Oh my god,” He cuts off abruptly.

 

Renjun’s mouth drops as did Mark’s, and they all came to a sharp stop.

 

“This guy—Lee Donghyuck!” Jaemin got over his shock and made a move first, Renjun following close behind, with Mark remaining frozen, still taking in the scene the scene before him.

Donghyuck was in front of them, wrapped up in the arms of a much taller boy, who wearing the uniform of Durmstrang Institute.

 

_Oh._

 

—

 

Quickly pulling out of Xuxi’s arms at the sound of his name, Donghyuck turns around to see Mark, along with Renjun and Jaemin, moving towards them.

 

“Hey guys” Donghyuck starts awkwardly as his brain freaks out at the realization that he hadn’t even gone to congratulate Mark after the selections and had instantly left to meet Xuxi.

 

There was also the slight problem that Donghyuck had completely put off even mentioning anything about having a friend from Durmstrang and that this sudden introduction now might come as a shock.

 

“Hyuck, hey! Uh, you left your camera? I— Um, this is Lucas, right?” Mark said as he arrives last, with a confused smile upon realizing who he was with as he passes Donghyuck his camera.

 

 _Oh fuck, I can’t believe I even left my camera behind,_ Donghyuck thinks as he takes it from Mark’s hands. “Thanks, and yeah uh I—“

 

“Hey, I’m Lucas! I’m guessing you guys are the friends Hyuck usually talks about? It’s nice to finally meet you guys!” Xuxi interrupts with a big smile on his face, extending out his hand.

 

“Yes, so you know Mark, our Hogwarts champion, and these two are Renjun and Jaemin,” Donghyuck gestures nervously, well aware of the barely hidden surprise on his friends’ faces at Xuxi’s comment and this situation in general.

 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Lucas,” Mark says, shaking Lucas’s hand. “I—How, um– how do you guys know each other?”

 

“Duckie you never told them about me? Wow, I expected better treatment considering how I knew you since you were six,” Xuxi pouts, placing an arm over his chest in an attempt to look hurt.

 

Donghyuck would’ve noticed that he actually looked amazingly similar to an endearing puppy with that pout on but he was too busy studying the reactions of his friends.

 

“Duckie?” Mark questions, a strange expression on his face, and heat rushes to Donghyuck’s face, while at the same time Renjun and Jaemin went, “Since six?”

 

“I—its just a nickname. Anyways, yes, I knew him from when we were kids, we grew up together for a few years since he was my neighbour back then and then he joined Durmstrang after he moved away. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce him earlier, I didn’t know when to do so,” Donghyuck shot an apologetic look at Xuxi. “I didn’t mean to neglect mentioning you.”

 

Xuxi let out a laugh, ruffling Donghyuck’s hair. “Hey, it’s alright, I know you put things off so much in order to find the perfect timing to do it, even if that includes forgetting to introduce someone as important and amazing as me to your friends. I mean, I didn’t know how to tell you I’m Lucas now too, so I guess we’re even,” He jokes softly.

 

Partially relieved, Donghyuck grins at Xuxi and slightly shoves him before looking at the others who were watching this exchange with confusion, wondering what they were going to say about his shabby excuse.

 

“Its fine Hyuck, at least we get to know now and not like after the whole Tournament is over,” Mark quickly says with a slight laugh, noticing Donghyuck’s nervous expression as he waited for them to say something. “I’m actually really glad to see you, Lucas. It’s nice to know you outside the grounds of the Tournament tasks.”

 

“Likewise,” Lucas beams.

 

“Same here, like we wouldn’t have even met you probably, since we’re not even the champions or in the same year but hey, now I actually have a friend from Durmstrang and he’s their champion too!” Renjun adds on while Jaemin grins in agreement.

 

Donghyuck’s shoulders slump in relief and a smile forms his face. “Okay then, now that the introductions are over we can finally move on from this awkwardness. Hey, do you want to join us to go down to Hogsmeade this weekend? We could show you around and all that.”

 

“That sounds great! But I don’t think my friends would appreciate it if I ditch them on the first time that we’re going out to Hogsmeade cause we agreed we’d explore together. Maybe we’ll see you around though,” Lucas laughs, before his face suddenly freezes. “Speaking of friends, I just remembered I immediately left them too after the announcement so I probably gotta leave.”

 

Jaemin let out a cackle and gestures to the duo in front of him “Oh my god, this is probably why you guys are friends, you’re both idiots.”

 

Xuxi let out a wry grin in response. “I guess I better be going now then. See you around, Duckie! You guys too!” He calls out, turning around and heading back in the direction of the Great Hall to look for his friends.

 

“Sure, don’t get lost dumbass!” Donghyuck yells in return and turns to face his own friends. “So—“

 

Renjun immediately grabs Donghyuck in a chokehold as he yelps and goes, “Oh my god Hyuck just _how_ were you able to hide that you had a hot friend from Durmstrang who also just happens to be their damn champion this whole time?”

 

“In my defence, I didn’t know he was going to be their champion or how exactly he looks cause I haven’t seen him in like, six years! Also I have a very short memory span so--” Donghyuck chokes out while trying to escape Renjun’s hold.

 

“Short memory span, my ass. You knew he was coming here with the Durmstrang delegation. Oh my god, this is also why you’ve been getting so many letters recently then, right? It was Lucas when we all thought it was your family or something!” Jaemin smirks.

 

Donghyuck opens his mouth in order to retort before realizing he couldn’t come up with one since it was the truth and closed it again as Renjun started laughing. “Wow, I can’t believe this.”

 

“Okay but this Lucas is really so beautiful up close though. And he’s even taller than me,” Jaemin sighs and Renjun agrees.

 

“Everyone’s taller than you, Renjun,” Donghyuck grumbles. “Are you guys done now?”

 

“Oh no way, we’re just getting started. I’m going to get every single detail from you about our new friend Lucas. Also, he calls you Duckie? That’s such a cute nickname, isn’t it Mark? Mark?” Jaemin coos, turning to Mark who had been quiet the entire time, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

 

Mark jolts at the sound of his name. “Yeah, Hyuck it suits you. I never thought you’d be the type to enjoy getting called such adorable names,” he teases, albeit slightly awkwardly.

 

A hint of red appears on Donghyuck’s cheeks as he hisses, “Drop it already, it’s embarrassing and I’m only putting up with it for now since I haven’t seen him in years. I’m going to go get dinner now, I’m too hungry to deal with this bullshit from all of you.”

 

“Okay me too, but don’t think this conversation is over Lee Donghyuck, we’ll be having words in the dorm,” Jaemin snipes and they all head in the direction of the Great Hall.

 

Donghyuck falls in pace next to Mark, who was still silent with a faraway look on his face, as Jaemin and Renjun walk ahead. “Hey, are you okay? You’ve been pretty quiet since Lucas left. Is it because the Tournament?”

 

“Oh, yeah, I was just thinking about some things, don’t worry about it,” Mark responds, but after a beat, leaving Donghyuck unconvinced.

 

“Okay I call bullshit; you seem pretty off right now. You know what, I know exactly what we should do to get your mind off things!”

 

“Oh god, what are you planning now?”

 

“Meet me at 9pm outside the Astronomy Tower. We’re gonna break in. It’s been so long!”

 

“Yeah, for good reason! Remember how last month Chenle and Jisung got caught and are _still_ cleaning bathrooms as detention?”

 

“That was only last month! But we haven’t gone since last year because _you_ became a Gryffindor prefect on top of being Captain and your model student ass didn’t want to risk getting caught since you’re supposed to like, not do that and be the one catching those who do so instead,” Donghyuck continues as Mark let out an exasperated sigh. “Now, you’re still all that and also the Hogwarts champion so what better time do we have to do this?”

 

“After all that you said, it is literally the worst time to do this. What if we get caught?”

 

“We won’t, do you have that little trust in me? I’m hurt, Mark Lee,” Donghyuck pouts, which quickly turns into a smirk as he adds, “Okay but if you get caught do you think they’ll revoke your Hogwarts champion card?”

 

“Hyuck!”

 

“I’m just saying! Imagine the headlines ‘Mark Lee, start student, chosen Hogwarts champion, gets his ass kicked out of the Triwizard Tournament’ after he broke the rules to sneak into the Astronomy Tower, yikes!’”

 

“Don’t jinx it, dumbass,” Mark shoves Donghyuck while letting out a laugh. A sense of relief comes over Donghyuck upon hearing the familiar sound that he loved so much.

 

“So we’re meeting 9pm then!”

 

“Oh god, alright,” Mark grins and slings an arm over Donghyuck’s shoulders.

 

“….really though, but what do you think will actually happen if you get caught?”

 

“Shut up, Hyuck.”

 

—

 

“Alohomora,” The door to the Astronomy Tower unlocked as Donghyuck cast the Unlocking Charm. He pushed the door open as quietly as possible and crept in, with Mark following and closing it behind them.

 

“See, we’re in, nothing to worry about,” Donghyuck grins as Mark mumbles, “Yeah, but who knows we won’t be caught?”

 

“Come on don’t be such a downer! Tonight, we celebrate you becoming the Hogwarts champion and hope you don’t get kicked out of it!” His voice then softens as he grabs Mark’s hand and adds, “Hey, I never congratulated you properly on it, you know I’m proud of you. I knew you’d be chosen.”

 

Mark’s face flushes at his genuine tone and he squeezes Donghyuck’s hand in return before letting go. “Thanks, Hyuckie, it means a lot.”

 

He steps away from Donghyuck and takes a look at his surroundings. The room was dark, with only the light from the moon splayed around. The stars were glittering like gems against the jet-black sky and the cool night breeze brushed against his hair. A small smile formed on his face as he turns to Donghyuck. “I forgot how beautiful this place is. I haven’t been up here since I ended Astronomy O.W.L.s last year.”

 

“I know, but it’s okay, you don’t have to thank me for finally getting you back here.” Donghyuck said with a cheeky grin as he moves towards the balcony, gesturing Mark to follow.

 

He plops down to the ground and Mark joins him, both then turning their gazed to the endless sky above them. A comfortable silence fell as they both revelled in the beauty of the world around them, enjoying the moment of peace.

 

“Hey, I know you said you were fine earlier, but it didn’t really seem like it. You know you can talk to me about anything right?” Donghyuck starts quietly.

 

Mark turns to look at him, and for a second his breath catches in his chest. The moonlight was illuminating Donghyuck’s face, making his already beautiful eyes glow, as if the all shine of the stars in the sky had been given to them instead.

 

“Mark?” Donghyuck calls softly, upon the lack of an answer.

 

“I’m just a little worried I guess. The entire school’s going to be looking at me and expecting me to win. And it’s definitely not going to be easy, not the tasks nor the competition. It’s kinda stressful,” He quickly says, even though he knows that is not the complete truth as he recalls what happened earlier.

 

If he were to be honest, something had set him off when he had seen the younger with the Durmstrang boy. Maybe it was because he was upset that Donghyuck hadn’t even mentioned anything about something so big when Mark thought he knew almost everything about him, but it was easier to just cover up by only bringing up the Tournament which he obviously was anxious about too.

 

“Hmm, true. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now but I’ll be with you every step of the way. It’s okay if you mess up, so while it may be hard to not worry about that just try to remember it’ll soon be forgotten. You’re still going to be our Mark, the dumbass who’s really talented and kind and still scared about breaking into the Astronomy Tower, and whether you win or not, we’ll always love you for that, you know?” He takes Mark’s hand in his own for the second time that night and rubs reassuring circles on it, a fond and sincere smile on his face.

 

Mark gazes at Donghyuck, giving him a grateful look, his heart filling up with affection for the boy next to him, offering him comfort and promising to be by his side. He slowly interlinks their fingers and moves closer to the smaller boy until he was pressed up to his side, and with one look at him he knew the other understood his thankfulness. “What would I do without you,” He whispers.

 

There is no snarky response this time, but instead Donghyuck gives him a sweet and almost shy smile as he moves to rest his head against Mark’s shoulders as he has before countless times, with Mark leaning his cheeks against the boy’s soft hair.

 

The other’s sweet voice saying, “Our Mark” and “We’ll always love you” plays over and over in his head and the desire to hear his voice again rises, so he quietly asks, “Hey Hyuckie, can you sing a little? It’s been so long since I’ve heard you.”

 

Donghyuck starts humming a song in response, one that is unfamiliar to Mark, while looking at the stars that he loves so much. His honey voice fills the quiet, bringing out a tune that is light and sweet, yet still having an undertone of longing. Mark thinks about the ethereal boy next to him who sounds like the heavens and looks like the embodiment of all the beauty in the galaxy, glances at their interlinked hands, and wishes he could stop time as his heart pounds in his chest.

 

Above them, the moon to continues to shine and the stars dance around her, to Donghyuck’s song of first loves and dreams of happy endings.

 

—

 

“Hey you wanna join us?” Donghyuck shouts to Lucas over the noise of The Three Broomsticks as he enters with his close friends, Jungwoo and Kun, waving his hand to get his attention.

 

It does, and Lucas brightens as the trio move over to where Donghyuck and Mark were, with Renjun, Jaemin and Jeno. Pulling up nearby chairs, Lucas plops down next to Donghyuck, grinning widely and they all fell into easy conversation about the Durmstrang students’ first time out at Hogsmeade while Kun went to get the three drinks.

 

Through the past week, Mark and the rest had gotten to know the three better, courtesy of Lucas and Donghyuck, who had connected both groups of friends together by coming together during meal times at the Great Hall. Lucas, being Mark’s age had also joined Mark’s classes, and whenever they were together, Mark found himself liking Lucas more and more, along with practically everyone else.

 

Lucas was like a ball of energy, always managing to lift up the mood during classes. He was very expressive whenever he communicated, with big gestures and even bigger smiles. On top of that, he was loud, _very_ loud. But somehow also in a good way, making those around him enjoy it instead of being annoyed, including Mark.

 

Which was why Mark was even more confused whenever he felt his heart squeeze a little whenever Lucas and Donghyuck got carried away with their own small conversation even when they were all together, like they were now.

 

“Oh yeah Duckie, I got something for you.” Lucas said, reaching into the little bag he had been holding. He took out a small glass bottle and handed it to Donghyuck.

 

“Dude is this—?”

 

“Yeah, I mean you told me you ran out of it recently and was planning to buy some, so I just decided to get it when I saw it earlier at that shop that sells all those potions,” Lucas grins as Donghyuck accepts the vial containing the potion that he uses regularly to make his pictures move, a smile lighting up his face.

 

“Thanks a lot,” Donghyuck says, and leans over to peck Lucas on his cheek.

 

It was light and soft, like those that Donghyuck gives the others being as affectionate as he is, but Mark suddenly found himself almost dropping the tankard of Butterbeer that he had been drinking from, and that sinking feeling that he had been experiencing through week came back.

 

Renjun shoots him a slightly concerned look, but Donghyuck didn’t seem to have noticed anything. Kun and Jungwoo were also wearing slightly surprised expressions, clearly not used to Donghyuck’s touchy personality having only met him for a week, but Lucas seemed to be so, as he remained unflinching with a smile curving on his face, despite not having met Donghyuck for the past six years.

 

“You know you can actually make this potion yourself? Mark made some for me last time on my birthday, like, a lot actually, and since I only need to use a little each time it lasted for the past five months, I only ran out last week,” Donghyuck adds on, not noticing anything, as he reached out and squeezed Mark’s hand lightly. Looking at his smile, the feeling growing in Mark disappears as suddenly as it had appeared.

 

“I could’ve just made you some more,” He blurts out without thinking, and Donghyuck lets out a laugh, high-pitched and tinkling like usual.

 

“That’s sweet, but you and me both know none of us here has the time for that, dumbass,” He replies with a fond tone, then moves on to start another conversation, something about Zonko’s Joke Shop, as if nothing had happened.

 

Maybe nothing had, but to Mark, who was left as confused as ever about the sharp changes in his feelings, it didn’t seem like it.

 

—

 

The Triwizard Tournament starts off with a bang a few weeks later in the middle of November that year. In the first task which requires retrieving a Golden Egg from a dragon, Yeri ends up in first place, with Mark and Xuxi both tied up in second place.

 

Donghyuck flips through the pictures he had taken as he leans against the walls of the empty corridor at the Courtyard, thinking about what had happened before the start of the task.

 

Being the only student who had been given special permission to take photographs, he had been allowed to go to the tent where the three competitors were gathered in order to capture them for a few precious minutes.

 

After taking a few shots, he had quickly yelled a _Good Luck_ to Xuxi and grabbed Mark in a tight hug, managing to whisper a few words of encouragement to his nervous best friend before he had to leave to find a good spot for when the actual Tournament would start, which was when he had heard what was bothering him now.

 

“Hey!” A voice calls and Donghyuck looks up from his camera to see Xuxi jogging towards him, his hair flopping over his forehead.

 

He manages a weak smile in return before his face falls back into a frown and a concerned expression immediately rises on Xuxi’s face.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“You know everyone knows right? That we’re close friends. Apparently, some people think that means I’m ‘betraying’ Hogwarts and Mark.” Donghyuck mutters.

 

 _Are you even Mark’s friend? You’re really out here supporting the rivals instead of your own school huh, Lee,_ replays over and over in his head, even as he tries to block it out.

 

Xuxi lets out a swear, his tone frustrated. “You know that’s bullshit right? I’m literally friends with Mark now too, so are they going to call him out for fraternizing with the enemy or something? Don’t think too much about it, you know Mark would hate it if you get upset over this when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

 

“I know, I’m not upset, I’m just frustrated instead. Mark’s my best friend and I’m always going to by his side so it’s really annoying to hear. Do I not seem like I care about him?”

 

Xuxi leans over and squeezes Donghyuck’s shoulder comfortingly, “It’s probably hard to ignore, we know you do. There’s nothing wrong with being supportive of your friends and I appreciate it a lot more than you think, Mark even more, and that’s what really matters. He looked so much better after seeing you today, before that he seemed like he was going to throw up.”

 

A small smile forms on Donghyuck as he looks up at Xuxi gratefully.

 

“You’re right, I shouldn’t let this bother me so much.”

 

“Good! So, you like Mark, huh?” Xuxi cheerfully goes on.

 

Donghyuck chokes on his own spit as blood rushes to his cheeks at the sudden turn in their conversation.

 

“I— What? How did you figure that out?” He sputters, his voice getting even more high-pitched than usual in his shock that Xuxi had been observant enough to notice.

 

“You’re not exactly subtle, you know. You talk about him as though he brought those stars you love so much down for you and you look at him with such heart eyes when you think no one else looking. The others know too, don’t they? I mean, it seems like Mark’s the only one dense enough to not know.”

 

“Oh my god, no, they actually don’t! At least, I don’t think so, they never asked me anything. Wow, was I really that obvious to you though?”

 

“Yeah, I could feel your pining all the way from Durmstrang when you were all _Mark did this! Mark did that! Wow Xuxi I can’t wait till you meet Mark_ during our letters and it's even more obvious now,” Xuxi deadpans. “Hey, why don’t you just ask him out? What are you waiting for?”

 

Donghyuck felt his heart clench at that as the desires that he had grown used to hiding so expertly threatened to surface again and spur him to try something stupid. Oh, how he wished they could be reality, how he wished he could hold Mark’s hand and shower him with light kisses as the sun goes down and the first evening star comes up, but Donghyuck knows it won’t work like that.

 

“I can’t, he doesn’t like me back like that. If I confess it might ruin our friendship. That’ll hurt too much, even more than hiding my feelings like I am now. I can’t lose him, Xuxi, not over something as stupid as my feelings, he’s my best friend,” He lets out desperately, trying to force down the emotions rising within him. “I’m used to it anyway, it’s been a whole year, so I’d say I’m pretty good at this hiding emotions thing. I just have to wait for it to all disappear one day.”

 

Donghyuck hadn’t talked to anybody about his feelings and saying it out loud just seemed to make it all more real and hopeless. Xuxi draws Donghyuck into a hug upon seeing the pained expression on his face.

 

“Hey, hey, don’t put down your feelings like that, okay? I haven’t known Mark for long, but he’s a good guy and I know he wouldn’t want to lose you either, so even if he doesn’t feel the same way he won’t leave you.”

 

“It’s too risky,” Donghyuck mumbles into Xuxi’s chest, each word breaking his heart a little more.

 

“You’ll never know though, if you don’t try” Xuxi murmurs, rubbing circles on Donghyuck’s back soothingly. “You know the Yule Ball’s coming up soon right? Why don’t you try to ask him to go with you? You can try and see if he feels the same way then. And there’s always the excuse of _I have no date yet and I didn’t want to go alone so I was asking as just friends_ that you can fall back on if he’s shocked.”

 

“Thanks for the suggestion, but if we do end up going together as friends I don’t know how I’ll be able to handle it after the night’s over because I’ll probably just want more.”

 

“Oh Duckie, I wish there was something I could do,” Xuxi says ruefully.

 

“It’s fine, dumbass. The problem is my own feelings anyway. Thanks for listening, Xuxi,” Donghyuck wraps his arms around Xuxi tighter, thankful for his warmth and words.

 

They stay like that for a while, the wind blowing around them softly, and the snow starts coming down slowly, making the cold bite more harshly. It’s suitable, Donghyuck thinks, that’s how he feels after exposing his inner thoughts and feeling the truth even more.

 

Xuxi’s movements that had been ongoing then suddenly stop, and Donghyuck pulls away slightly to look up at him.

 

His eyes were bright, and his facial expression looking as though a lightbulb had suddenly gone off in his head. Donghyuck tilted his head questioningly and Xuxi opened his mouth.

 

“Hey Donghyuck, do you want to go to the Ball with me instead?”

 

—

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” Mark tries to say as gently as possible, a slight feeling of guilt rising up as he rejects yet another invitation to the Yule Ball.

 

In front of him, the younger girl’s face falls. “Is there someone you’re already going with?”

 

“Yes, sorry.” A lie.

 

Mark had no idea what he was doing, he didn’t have a date and wasn’t sure of who he would even go with, but still here he was, rejecting all offers.

 

The girl, for some reason, shoots Donghyuck, who was leaning on the wall slightly away from where Mark was, a quick look, before nodding her head and rushing off, cheeks coloured with embarrassment after the rejection.

 

Donghyuck pushes off the wall as Mark moves towards him, and they fall in pace as they head towards the Great Hall together for dinner.

 

“So how many times has it been so far today?”

 

“Four,” Mark groans. “I feel terrible, like I’m letting them all down by lying that I already have a date.”

 

“Hey, you’re just one guy, you’ll still end up having to reject some even if you did actually have a date because they might keep trying.”

 

Mark hums in agreement as Donghyuck continues, “It’s the same for Xuxi too, rejecting everyone so don’t worry, you aren’t the only one who’s doing it and you won’t come off as rude.”

 

There it was again. _Xuxi._

 

(“Xuxi? Did you just call Lucas Xuxi? What’s that, another adorable nickname amongst you two?” Jaemin teases.

 

A tinge of red appears on Lucas’ cheeks. “No, it’s actually my birth name. But after I went to Durmstrang I decided to go by Lucas, it sounds cooler. And _Donghyuck_ doesn’t seem to realize that and decided to take it upon himself to still keep calling me that, even after I said to not do it in front of others,” He shoots a pointed glare in Donghyuck’s direction.

 

The other simply shrugs in return, “Well, I told you to stop calling me Duckie too, especially in front of everyone and you haven’t, so here we are.”

 

“This is so cute, you guys are like some childhood couple with the way you address each other.”

 

Mark’s heart lurches at that comment, and Xuxi chokes on his drink while Donghyuck lets out a short, sharp laugh.

 

“What the fuck, Jaemin? This is literally just our way of annoying each other but sure, go on and come up with some bullshit I guess,” He retorts, glancing quickly at Mark, for what reason Mark couldn’t tell.

 

Then again, Mark couldn’t even tell why Jaemin’s comment had affected him. It seemed to be a frequent occurrence these days.)

 

Mark is once again left thinking excessively at Donghyuck’s mention of the name. _It’s just a name, why am I so wound up over this?_ One side of his brain thinks while the other hisses _It’s because those names sound so endearing, like they’re special, you don’t have anything like that with Donghyuck even though he’s your best friend._

 

“Mark?” Donghyuck calls, and Mark jolts out of his thoughts.

 

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right, Hyuck. I shouldn’t think too much about it,” He quickly manages. “So, does Lucas already have a date then?”

 

Donghyuck freezes a little before he replies. “Yeah, kind of. He asked me to go with him.”

 

This time it was Mark who came to a complete standstill, and the words hit him like a slap. “He asked you?”

 

“Yeah, I mean, that dumbass doesn’t know who to go with, so he asked if we could go together, you know as friends.” Donghyuck stops as well, facing Mark with an unreadable expression.

 

“As friends,” Mark echoes, feeling like the world was trying to play a joke on him as the unexplainable crushing feeling starts again.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You didn’t tell me.”

 

“Yeah, I mean he only asked me like yesterday? It’s not that important anyways.” Donghyuck looked like he was trying to convince himself instead.

 

“Oh.” Mark says smartly, still trying to process all this information. “I mean, that’s—that’s good. You have someone to go with and it’s Lucas, so it’ll be fun!”

 

“Yeah, I guess.” Something flashes in Donghyuck’s eyes (disappointment?) and he looks away. “What are you planning to do though? Who do you want to ask?”

 

“I—I don’t know,” Mark stutters, while a voice from the back of his head whispers a familiar name, too familiar, and out of reach now. Forcing it down, he goes for, “I’ll just ask someone I know soon and get it over with.”

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

The two just stood in silence for a beat before another voice interrupted it, calling them. They turned to see Jeno, walking down the hallway towards their direction.

 

“What are you guys doing, just standing here? C’mon let’s go eat!” Jeno bounces over, clearly eager to get to the Great Hall.

 

“You’re right, I’m hungry too. Let’s go, Mark!” Donghyuck smiles, breaking over the awkward tension that had formed.

 

Mark forces a smile in return as they move, still thinking about Donghyuck’s revelation, unable to shake the feeling that he had just lost something.

 

—

 

Donghyuck gives Mark a small smile before he turns to face Xuxi, one hand in his and another on his shoulder as they waited the music for the first dance, which the respective school champions and their partners had to lead, to start.

 

“You okay?” He asks Xuxi as they start swaying to the rise of the soft music.

 

“Yeah, it’s just kinda weird don’t you think?” Xuxi laughs wryly. “How we’re here together and they are too but both of us wish it could’ve been the opposite.”

 

Donghyuck cracks a smile at that. “I know right. But we can just try to get it over with together like you wanted to and form our own sad little gay club. We don’t have to go meet up with them later if you don’t feel like it, we could just eat then sneak away or something.”

 

“Yeah, sure, that sounds better.” A grateful look comes over Xuxi.

 

The days before the Yule Ball passed in the blink of an eye and Christmas Day had arrived, and while Donghyuck had been pretty much unenthusiastic about it, it had surprisingly been the same for Xuxi too.

 

(“Hey Donghyuck, do you want to go to the Ball with me instead?”

 

“What.” Donghyuck deadpanned, clearly not having expected that.

 

“I mean, since you don’t want to go with Mark even though he’s the one you like you might as well go with me, right?”

 

“I’ll be fine by myself, I don’t know if I’ll even be going and having to see Mark with someone else anyways. Don’t you have anyone that you want to go with?”

 

“I mean, I do, kind of, but he’s not available so—”

 

“Why, who is it?”

 

Xuxi blushed and looked down at his feet shyly. “Renjun.”

 

“What the _fuck_? You have a crush on Injunnie and you never told me, his dear friend, all this time?”

 

“I might have chosen not to mention it,” Xuxi replies sheepishly. “I mean, yeah he’s really pretty and sweet, but you know it’s not possible for me.”

 

“Oh god, you’re right, he’s like in some confusing stage with both Jaemin and Jeno I think, I don’t know actually know what’s going on, they just keep looking at each other all lovestruck when they should just hurry up and get together.”

 

“Yeah, about that I think I can confirm they decided to get together, I got lost a couple of days ago and found them all smooching each other in some hidden corner.”

 

“Oh my god, Jaemin and Renjun didn’t breathe a word about this to me back at the dorms, I’m gonna have their necks for this,” Donghyuck mutters under his breath, before giving Xuxi a regretful look.

 

“I’m sorry though, Xuxi.”

 

“I guess we’re both kinda hopeless, huh?” He lets out a short, humourless laugh, and Donghyuck couldn’t help but agree. “But’s okay, it’s just a small crush for me unlike you, I’ll get over it soon. So yeah, since we’re both going to be dateless when it comes to who we actually like, let’s just go enjoy ourselves together? Like, I’m forced to go man, and I think I’d rather go with you than anyone else and then at least you won’t have to go alone too. There’s probably going to be really good food too so don’t tell me you want to miss that.”

 

“Okay, you know what? That now that actually makes sense, especially the food part. I guess I’m down then,” Donghyuck grins.

 

Maybe they could get through the Yule Ball without any pained hearts again if they went through it together.)

 

Or so they thought.

 

It turns out Mark had approached Jeno, Jaemin and Renjun in the end, having no one else to go to, and Renjun had offered to be his partner, knowing it was going to be only for the first dance anyway.

 

Just friends, like how Xuxi and Donghyuck had decided to go as too, but the moment Xuxi saw Renjun, looking more stunning than ever with slight makeup on and in silky navy-blue dress robes, he had become completely silent, jaw slightly slack.

 

Donghyuck knew he was probably wishing he could’ve been the one with Renjun instead, because the moment he saw Mark, who was next to him, that was all he could think.

 

Mark was looking even more dashing than ever, with his hair brushed away from his forehead and slightly styled up, making his already lovely eyes stand out even more, and giving him a more mature look. He was wearing a striking navy-blue blazer over a white dress shirt and pants, and also small black bow-tie on, and Donghyuck couldn’t help but be endeared by it, while also in awe of how handsome his best friend was.

 

Before Donghyuck could go up to him, Professor Kim had called the champions to the first dance, so they ended up moving down to the main floor to take their positions.

 

The first dance ended quick enough, with more upbeat music starting, and the other students started to fill up the dance floor. As Donghyuck was about to pull away, Xuxi lightly caught and tugged his hand again.

 

“Hey, can we just continue to dance awhile with everyone else? They don’t seem to be continuing so if we move now it’ll be obvious.”

 

“You _really_ don’t want to be near them tonight, do you? That whipped for Renjun?” Donghyuck laughs but allows himself to follow Xuxi into the heart of the dance floor, not ready to face Mark himself, as the other faintly tries to protest against his claims.

 

It turns out to be quite enjoyable, much to Donghyuck’s surprise, but it’s soon over as yet another slow song strikes up and those around him start getting wrapped up in each other’s arms, and as Donghyuck and Xuxi left to move towards the banquet tables, Donghyuck couldn’t help but wish that it could be him with a certain someone who had still been on the back his mind the entire night.

 

—

 

_Breathtaking._

 

That was Mark’s first thought when he laid his eyes on Donghyuck.

 

The younger had a maroon dress shirt that matched his hair and a black jacket on. His hair was artfully rumpled in a way that was not messy enough to be considered as informal, but a far cry from the neatly brushed or slicked back hair that most others had, such as Mark’s own.

 

What was even more enthralling were his features, his eyes carefully lined with a thin streak of black, just enough to make them look even more alluring. And there were his lips, seeming plusher and cherry red than usual, taking Mark quite an effort to tear his eyes away from them.

 

“You haven’t been able to take your eyes off Hyuck since we arrived until now,” Renjun smirks as they walk over to the seats where Jaemin and Jeno were after the first dance.

 

Mark glances back once more, to where Xuxi was taking a smiling Donghyuck’s hand in his again before pulling him into deeper into the crowd on the dance floor, disappointment rising at the fact that Donghyuck wasn’t going to be joining him yet. “I—Yeah, I mean he looks different.”

 

“I know he does, I was the one who did his makeup at the dorms and made him look like that. But do you know why it’s affecting you so much?”

 

“What?” Mark asks dumbly, not sure what Renjun was trying to get at, trying to drown out the voice in his brain that started screaming its gratitude towards the boy for his work which had made Donghyuck even more radiant.

 

Renjun doesn’t explain, but just grabs a drink that was on a nearby table and shoves it into Mark’s hands. “Why don’t you try to figure it out tonight?”

 

Mark simply stares down into the drink, wondering what he was supposed to figure out.

 

—

 

Donghyuck leans his head against the walls of the corridor, his head spinning lightly.

 

Somehow, he had ended up downing a few drinks ballroom (he was seventeen and legal in the Wizarding World after all) in order to try and take his mind off his thoughts along with Xuxi before they had left the ballroom, so here they were now in the empty corridor where they had first talked, both tipsy, with nothing to do.

 

He looks up at Xuxi, the older boy staring into space with his lips pursed.

 

A sudden thought rises up in his bored and hazy mind, and he rises to his toes and presses a kiss daringly close to the other’s lips.

 

Xuxi turns, mild surprise coloring his eyes. “What was that for?”

 

Donghyuck simply shrugs in return. “I don’t know, I was bored.”

 

“So what, you wanna make out with me as a distraction?” The other jokes, and then his eyes light up in surprise at Donghyuck’s response.

 

“Sure, if you want to.”

 

“Wait you’re serious? You’re drunk, Duckie.”

 

“I’m barely tipsy, Xuxi.”

 

“Okay, that’s true and I don’t mind too, but like have you even had your first kiss yet? Wouldn’t it matter to you?”

 

Maybe it would have, Donghyuck thought as his mind flashes to Mark and all the times that he had thought of kissing the other instead. But tonight, he was too bored, too tired from thinking about Mark the entire evening and wishing for what he couldn’t have more than he had in a while, and the alcohol in his body might have made him care less than he actually would.

 

“Sweet that you care, but I don’t, not now at least.”

 

“Are you sure?” Xuxi looks at him with his eyes full of sincerity, not wanting to do anything his friend might regret later.

 

Donghyuck lets out a soft groan. “Yes, shut up,” He cups Xuxi’s face in his hands and presses a kiss against his lips, a small peck really.

 

Xuxi lets out a light laugh. “Okay then,” He says, and captures Donghyuck’s mouth with his own fully.

 

—

 

Mark moves through the crowd in the Ballroom, eyes searching for Donghyuck amongst everyone and ends up with nothing.

 

He runs into Chenle and Jisung instead, the duo giggling adorably over something in Chenle’s hands, looking up at Mark’s presence. A part of his brain slowly comprehends that Jisung being a third year shouldn’t be allowed in, but since he was there Chenle had probably asked him. _That’s cute._

 

“Hey, have you guys seen Donghyuck?”

 

Jisung nods and relief washes over Mark. “He left a while ago with Lucas, saying something about going somewhere else cause it was too boring in here. Why?”

 

“Nothing, I just have something to tell Hyuck.” Mark nods his thanks as he makes his way out of the ballroom.

 

It wasn’t exactly that Mark had something to tell Donghyuck. He had tried to comprehend was Renjun was saying earlier as he drank whatever he was given, only realizing later that it was Firewhisky when the liquid burned Mark’s throat on the way down.

 

Mark had never really been a strong drinker, he had never actually drunk except for once with his family when he had become legal. But for some reason, he found himself reaching for more, with the image of Donghyuck still imprinted in his mind.

 

It doesn’t get him anywhere, leaving Mark feeling even more muddled than how he was after first hearing Renjun’s words, and all he could think of was how much he wanted to see the younger boy, maybe ask him to dance, for reasons Mark himself still couldn’t figure out, so he made a move, starting to search for Donghyuck.

 

Now, after hearing Jisung’s words, he makes his way down the staircase and out into the Courtyard, his hazy brain still able to recall the fact that if Donghyuck wanted to go anywhere it would probably be the corridors there, his favourite place within the Castle.

 

And so, Mark turns the corner leading to one of those corridors and freezes there for the second time that year due to the scene in front of him.

 

Except this time instead of it just being shock, everything that he had been unsure of for the past couple of months suddenly hits him in full force like a punch or ten to the stomach, jerking him out of his drunk stupor.

 

And his heart shatters to pieces.

 

Donghyuck was pressed against the walls of the corridor with his jacket almost off his shoulders, lips shiny and wet, eyes hooded, and hands tangled amongst Lucas’s dirty blond hair, as the other drags his lips slowly up Donghyuck’s exposed neck, stopping at certain spots to press gentle kisses into his gorgeous tanned skin.

 

 _What the fuck, what the actual fuck,_ Mark’s brain repeats, as the realization that Mark wanted to be the one with Donghyuck slams into him. He wanted to be there pressed against Donghyuck instead, tasting those plump lips with his own, kissing him until they were both left breathless.

 

And then his brain moves on, replaying every single incident where Mark had been left confused as though it was some kind of film roll, starting off with that day at the Black Lake, and Mark finally catches on to every bit of adoration, desire and jealousy he had felt over time.

 

_I like him. I’ve liked him all this while._

 

His heart clenches painfully with each memory, wondering how he could’ve been so emotionally repressed to have not figured out anything at all, while in front of him Donghyuck removes his hands from where they were previously buried in Lucas’ hair, moving them to his cheeks instead, guiding him back to his mouth.

 

 _As friends,_ Donghyuck had said, and Mark feels like throwing up as his voice echoes repeatedly in his mind.

 

_Clearly that’s not all it is anymore._

 

He turns away, not being able to watch any longer, his feet carrying him somewhere of their own accord, his head too overwhelmed with too many emotions all at once. He just continues walking, and walks straight into someone.

 

“Mark?” A confused voice asks, and Mark lifts up his eyes from the ground, barely processing how Jeno’s expression morphs into one of alarm at his distraught face.

 

“Oh my god, what’s wrong?”

 

Mark opens his mouth weakly, trying to answer.

 

_I like him, but I’ve only just realized and now it’s too late._

 

But all that comes out is a choked sob, and Mark can only drop his head onto Jeno’s shoulder helplessly, the tears that had welled up some time ago finally dripping out.

 

—

 

The days that pass after the Yule Ball are a mess, to say the least, but Mark and Donghyuck liked to pretend that wasn’t the case.

 

Donghyuck had showed up the next morning to breakfast, the same as always, throwing an arm over Mark’s shoulder, and then doing the same a few minutes later to Lucas who joins them with his friends. Mark, with his thoughts in overdrive from the simple touch and heart newly broken from the previous night, had intelligently decided that he should perhaps start distancing himself from the other as subtly as he can in order to get over his feelings without anyone realizing.

 

But Mark doesn’t exactly know how to be subtle.

 

He ends up bailing on most of their study sessions at their special spot, blabbering some excuse about needing to train and figure out the clues for the Second Task to avoid time where they would be alone, and when they were together with the rest, he starts trying to sit away or avoid physical contact from the younger.

 

It doesn’t really seem to work all that well for him, he just finds himself yearning for the other and his honeyed voice, words and touches more each time he pushes himself away, but then he thinks about how Donghyuck’s relationship with Lucas seemed to have withstood the test of time and how now it had been defined to be even more, and reasons that maybe he was never the one who was meant to be with him to begin with.

 

Donghyuck is just left confused, not sure what had went wrong, and not able to even ask why as Mark does his best to avoid any time where they would be alone together, but still not brave enough to confront the older boy in front of their friends in case things end up blowing out of proportion.

 

So he’s left forcing his face to not fall, when Mark cancels yet again, when he very obviously leans away from Donghyuck reaches out even a little to him.

 

Both knew even their friends could tell something was off, but they still continued the act that everything was fine, trying to keep up their usual banter whenever they were all together. Mark blames his being drunk for his breakdown on the night of the Yule Ball whenever Jeno tries to bring it up, Donghyuck lies about nightmares, when one day Renjun and Jaemin wake up due to muffled sounds of his cries in the middle of the night, instead of admitting he just misses his best friend.

 

When Donghyuck and Mark are seventeen and eighteen, they end the year from opposite sides of the Castle, looking up at the same stars, wishing for something they already have.

 

—

 

The Second Task is when things go to hell.

 

Or at least that’s how it seems like to Mark.

 

He pushes through the freezing water of the Black Lake, making his way to where Donghyuck was suspended in the middle of the merpeople’s village, clearly under a spell to make him unconscious. When the clue had said that something precious would be stolen from them, Mark didn’t expect a whole Donghyuck to be the one taken instead of some item.

 

 _So that’s why he didn’t show up at the tent earlier to take pictures, they fucking took him already,_ Mark realizes, worry building up in him as he takes in Donghyuck’s pallid complexion through the murky waters. _I’m going to get a fucking heart attack by the end of this Tournament with all these shocks._

 

Lucas had already made it there first and was working to free the bonds holding his own ‘precious item’, or in this case, his best friend, Jungwoo. He turns around slightly at Mark’s presence, relief colouring his eyes, probably at the thought that Donghyuck would soon be free too, and then kicks upward, dragging Jungwoo’s limp form along.

 

Mark follows soon enough, a quick spell slashing through Donghyuck’s bonds easily, and swims up, pressing the younger close to his chest. He cuts through the surface of the black lake and barely manages to pull both of them up the bank before he collapses, drained and breathing heavily.

 

“ _Why the fuck_ is he not conscious yet?” Lucas’ voice pants as the boy rushes over from where most of the crowd was gathered, wrapped heavily in blankets, along with Professor Lee and the school’s nurse, Miss Bae.

 

“What?” Mark rasps as he turns his eyes to the younger, who lay there unmoving, his skin usually glowing skin now cold and clammy, his lips blue.

 

"He should’ve woken up almost immediately after reaching the surface,” Miss Bae mentions as she drops to the ground next to the two, and Mark’s heart seizes in panic.

 

"He _what?”_ He cries out, reaching for the other desperately. “Why is he not then?”

 

“Calm down, Mark, he’ll be up soon. The enchantment probably hit him harder compared to the others but it’s perfectly safe, we’ve taken all the necessary precautions,” Professor Lee reassures, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, as Miss Bae, who had checked Donghyuck’s vitals by then nods in agreement.

 

It doesn’t really do much for Mark though, as he stares down at his motionless best friend. “He’s not waking up, though,” He whispers helplessly, dread worsening with each passing second. _Why does he have to be the one to suffer like this, I really can’t do anything for him._

 

The younger then suddenly jerks, his eyes flying open, and Professor Lee grabs hold of him as he spews out water, chest spasming.

 

“Oh fuck, that felt awful,” Donghyuck croaks after he’s done coughing all the water out, and relief crashes over Mark as he reaches out and pulls the other into his arms immediately.

 

“Oh thank god, I was fucking terrified,” He murmurs over Donghyuck’s head, noticing the worry finally drain from Lucas’ face.

 

“I’m fine, idiot, it’ll take much more than this to kill me,” Donghyuck shivers, and Miss Bae reaches for blankets and drapes them over the two, Mark not letting the smaller boy out of his hold, his heart still pounding.

 

“I hope you came in first dumbass, you had to rescue me after all,” The other jokes, probably trying to lighten up the atmosphere, but Mark, unable to stop replaying the few terrible minutes earlier, just quietly replies, “I’m sorry, Hyuck.”

 

“Hey, I’m safe, okay? I’m sure you did great.”

 

“I’m still sorry,” He repeats, not knowing what else to say after being so shaken up by the events that had just passed, and Donghyuck weakly pats his back in response.

 

Mark continues to cling onto the smaller boy, not knowing how long they were there huddled on the shore until he was forced to move by the Professors, not caring that Donghyuck probably shouldn’t be with him since Lucas was there, focusing on just the fact that the other was safe there with him.

 

—

 

The next morning, Mark wakes up sweating profusely, chest heaving, Donghyuck being the only thing on his mind.

 

He grabs his robes and makes a mad dash to the Hospital Wing where the those taken for the Second Task were brought to for the night just to ensure the enchantments had fully worn off, desperately needing to see the younger.

 

He bursts through the doors to see Donghyuck already awake, on his way to leave, runs in and practically flings himself at the other before he could even breathe a word.

 

Mark nuzzles into his shoulder, breathing in the comforting and familiar scent, revelling in the warm and solid body against him.

 

“I—What’s wrong?”

 

“Nightmare,” He manages. “You kept disappearing.”

 

“Is it because of yesterday?”

 

“Probably.”

 

Donghyuck runs his hands up and down his back calmingly, Mark still shaking lightly, gut twisting as he recalls the younger had simply slipped out of his hands into thin air repeatedly in his dream, and he holds the other even tighter.

 

“Hey, it’s okay, baby,” Donghyuck whispers gently into Mark’s ears, and a shiver travels down Mark, this time because of the endearment instead. “I’m perfectly fine.”

 

A new voice then comes in, causing Mark to pull away from Donghyuck hurriedly.

 

“Hey! Are you guys okay? What’re you doing?” Lucas asks, and Mark’s brain enters panic mode.

 

 _What was I even thinking? Of course he’d come to see his boyfriend and here you are hugging Donghyuck in front of him again when he’s not yours,_ he screams at himself internally, not realizing that Lucas might've been there to visit his own friend Jungwoo who had also been taken instead.

 

“Fuck, sorry, I’ll—I’ll just leave.”

 

“What? Why?” A puzzled expression comes over the other two.

 

“I shouldn’t have done that, yeah, I gotta go,” He rambles, and a slightly frustrated look replaces the bafflement in Donghyuck’s eyes.

 

“Done what?” He asks, and Mark just gestures around vaguely, why doesn’t Donghyuck just _get it,_ Lucas was right there, shouldn’t that be an obvious enough answer. “Can you just _say something?”_

 

“I should just leave, Hyuck, you two can do, whatever it is you do,” He says bitterly instead, turning to leave.

 

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

 

“Uh, I don’t really get what’s going on here, but I think you guys gotta go talk and like, get your shit together or something, especially you Mark,” Lucas pipes up, confusion written all over his face.

 

“Us? Nope, we’re all good here. I’m going to go and like, maybe get breakfast, bye!” Mark says, not knowing what else to say at the change in direction of conversation.

 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s not true based off what I’ve been seeing for the past two weeks and this guy has been avoiding telling me anything too, frankly it’s quite frustrating to see you two like that,” Lucas lightly shoves Donghyuck forward in Mark’s direction.

 

“But—Breakfast?” Mark says intelligently, and Donghyuck just lets out an exasperated sigh, moving towards the door, leaving Mark no choice but to follow.

 

“Fuck breakfast, let’s get going.”

 

—

 

Donghyuck paces back and forth while Mark continues to stand silently. Donghyuck had set a furious pace to their secret spot and now that they were there Mark wished that he tried to escape somehow on the way, not knowing what he was going to say to the other.

 

“So, can you please start explaining?”

 

“Explain what?”

 

“Whatever just happened and why you’ve been trying to ignore me for the past few weeks? I know you’ve been doing it on purpose, don’t try to act like you don’t know what I mean,” Donghyuck’s frustrated tone slipping into a dejected one. “You don’t even talk to me alone anymore, am I not your best friend?”

 

Mark’s heart squeezes painfully, at how forlorn the younger sounds, and also at how the younger was his still his best friend, but he was the one selfishly wanting more.

 

“Hyuck, I’m sorry, you still are, it’s just that—I don’t know how to say it.”

 

“You know you can always tell me anything, Mark. Please, just try, don’t avoid me, I’m so tired of this,” Donghyuck says, his chocolate brown eyes full of something like sorrow as he looks straight at Mark, and Mark just thinks _Fuck it, I can’t hide from him anymore._

 

“It took me so long to realize so I probably don’t have the right to feel this way but it’s still so hard for me, Hyuckie, knowing that you have a boyfriend now, but it’s not—”

 

“I have a what now?” Donghyuck interrupting before Mark could finish his confession, eyes wide with incredulity.

 

“A boyfriend?”

 

“What.”

 

“Your boyfriend? Lucas?” Mark repeats, not understanding Donghyuck’s reaction as he just stares at Mark.

 

And then bursts out into laughter. “What the _fuck_ , Mark Lee? You think Lucas is my boyfriend?”

 

“Yes? You were actually making out with him on the night of the Yule Ball? What else was I supposed to think?”

 

The smile falls off Donghyuck’s face immediately. “How do you know about that?”

 

“I literally saw you guys okay. You don’t have to hide it from me, Donghyuck,” Mark replies, feeling himself be the one getting slightly frustrated now. _Why is this conversation so hard?_

 

“Fuck, oh god Mark, we were doing it for fun—”

 

“You made out with him for _fun?_ Why would you do that?”

 

“I don’t know, maybe because I was too tired from fucking pining after your stupid big head for so long and I wanted a distraction and he just happened to not mind!” Donghyuck bursts out, his eyes immediately filling up with horror as he realizes what he just said, while Mark’s jaw drops.

 

“You—What?” He breathes, hardly believing his ears, blood rushing to his head.

 

“Fuck, just ignore what I said,” The boy goes, his face turning beet red.

 

“Wait! Hyuck please, you—You like me?”

 

“Yes, I’m sorry, I’ve probably made things weird now—” Mark cuts him off, grabbing his arm, his heart expanding tenfold at the younger’s confession.

 

“No! Me too, fuck, I like you so much Lee Donghyuck, that’s what I was trying to tell you earlier,” And it’s now Donghyuck’s turn to gape.

 

“What the fuck? _What the fuck?_ ”

 

“It only hit me when I saw you with Lucas that night, and then I figured it was too late and it was too damn painful to be with you like usual for a while so I thought I’d just try to distance myself a little bit until I get over it, but I like you too much for that,” He finishes sheepishly, realizing what kind of a _terrible_ idea that had been now that he was saying it would loud.

 

“Are you fucking kidding me, you’re an actual fucking idiot, Mark Lee,” Donghyuck yells, reaching out to shove Mark. “I thought I did something wrong and you decided you didn’t even want to be my best friend anymore. Did you also actually fucking think that I would not have told you even if I was really dating someone for you to just assume it?”

 

 _Yep, definitely a really terrible idea_ , Mark thinks, and reaches out to pull Donghyuck into a soft hug, as he continues to glare up at Mark, but he doesn’t pull away.

 

“I’m so sorry, Hyuckie, I messed up real bad,” He whispers into the smaller boy’s ears. “I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”

 

Donghyuck blushes even harder if possible and moves away slightly. “You really like me too?” He asks faintly instead, his lips shaping into a pout, with a small frown still on his face.

 

 _How the fuck is he actually so cute like this, this is it, this is how I’m going to end,_ Mark internally squeals at how adorable the boy, wishing he could kiss the pout off his full mouth, now that he actually might be able to with the new knowledge that Donghyuck actually reciprocates his feelings.

 

He lightly cups the other’s soft cheeks with both his hands. With all his sincerity, he says, “Yeah, so much. I love you, Hyuckie, I’m sorry for not realizing for so long.”

 

A smile breaks out of Donghyuck’s face, and he bites down lightly on his lower lip to try to stop himself from squeaking out of joy. “Okay, fine, I guess I could just let you off.”

 

 _Oh god, I really want to kiss him_ , Mark thinks as his eyes fixate on the younger’s heart shaped lips with that action, then decides he should just go for it.

 

“Then can I kiss you, Hyuckie?”

 

“What do you think, dumbass?” Donghyuck grins, and Mark’s heartrate skyrockets.

 

He leans down slightly, one hand moving to the back of the younger’s neck, lips hovering over his, where he stops, suddenly nervous.

 

“You’re so fucking slow,” Donghyuck mutters affectionately before he closes the distance between them, and Mark _melts._

 

Their first kiss is slow and unhurried, lips sliding together languidly, and Mark thinks he could just stay like this forever, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. When Donghyuck pulls away a little, Mark chases his mouth blindly, and the other boy giggles a little before he crashes their lips together again, this time with more fervour.

 

Donghyuck moves his hands to Mark’s hair, tugging at the strands, as he run his warm tongue gently over Mark’s bottom lip, teasing it open. He groans softly as Donghyuck licks into his mouth, hands sliding to Donghyuck’s hips as he pulls him impossibly closer and responds with equal intensity, each touch leaving him electrified, dizzy from the rush of having of the younger against him.

 

When they break apart to catch their breath, Mark rests his forehead against Donghyuck’s, drinking in how lovely the boy looked, cheeks blooming pink, lips swollen red, pupils dilated, and his heart soars.

 

(“Does this mean we’re boyfriends?” Mark dumbly asks later on, nosing along Donghyuck’s jawline.

 

“Yes baby, do I have to spell out everything for you?” The younger replies fondly. “You’re such an idiot.”

 

“But I’m your idiot.”

 

“I suddenly don’t have a boyfriend anymore.”)

 

—

 

Mark’s and Donghyuck’s relationship doesn’t change much, but now Mark can kiss the younger as much as he wants (which is really a lot), bring him on dates and openly shower him with all the affection he deserves. He had become ‘surprisingly clingy’ according to Jaemin, but Donghyuck thinks he definitely doesn’t mind, reciprocating with the same or even more amount of love.

 

(“Fucking finally,” Jaemin had groaned while Lucas cheered as Mark and Donghyuck rushed into the Great Hall only a few minutes breakfast was about to be over, hands interlinked, hair dishevelled, panting. “It was almost painful to watch you two pine for so long.”

 

“You knew I liked him all this time?” Donghyuck had asked, shocked, while the other simply nodded.

 

"You didn't seem to want to talk about it so I didn't press you," He replies, leaving Donghyuck surprised, despite him knowing that the other had always been perceptive.

 

“Then why did you keep teasing me about Lucas?”

 

“I only did it because I hoped it would make this dumbass jealous and realize so that you two can kiss and get your shit together, but clearly it didn’t work well since he was even denser than expected and it took so long.” He shrugged, pointing to Mark whose jaw dropped, while Jeno and Renjun snickered.

 

“Fuck you, it’s not like you guys were much better, making gooey eyes at each other all the time, it was so sickening,” Donghyuck grumbles.

 

“Yeah, but we still got together like, what? A whole month earlier? And we didn’t go through that whole angst phase you two did recently, so who’s the real winner here?” Renjun smirked.

 

“Okay, maybe some points were made.”)

 

The Third Task arrives soon too, and Yeri ends up being the winner, being the first to find the Triwizard Cup. Mark finishes second and Lucas comes out third, with the two being tied overall, but Mark finds that he doesn’t really mind as Donghyuck runs and throws his arms around Mark’s neck the moment he comes out of the Maze, dropping a light kiss and then whispering sweet compliments about how well he had done. (They end up on some newspaper under the section that covered the Tournament for the scene they made, but Mark finds that he doesn’t mind that too.)

 

As the Durmstrang delegation is about to leave, Lucas grabs both Mark and Donghyuck into a hug one after another, and Mark finds himself looking forward to seeing the other again, knowing he would miss his bright presence (he’s also very thankful to the other as without his push he probably would’ve continued his Very Bad Plan when it came to his feelings), while Donghyuck vehemently denies the tears in his eyes as he and Xuxi make their promise to keep in touch again.

 

—

 

When Mark is nineteen, he looks at the boy who holds all the love of the sun and stars in his skin and Mark’s heart with everything he has as they cuddle under the stars the day before Mark graduates, making promises about the future, and he knows nothing else will make him happier.

 

When Donghyuck is eighteen, looking up at the first evening star, wrapped in the arms of the one he loves, he thinks that he doesn’t need to wish upon them anymore, for they were all now embodied in the other, his very own happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> so that's it folks!! ik its very long and messy i didnt plan for my first fic to end up like 20k words i just wanted to write markhyuck in their houses and my last braincell ended up coming up with this instead and usually at some hell o' clock too lmao but if you made it all the way to the end congrats and thank you so much for reading!!! hope you enjoyed at least some of it :)
> 
> i might write a norenmin/chensung spinoff or just more markhyuck shenanigans after graduation if anyone still wants to read my shitty writing so if you have anything you want feel free to tell me!


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